Yin and Yang
by BetweenTheSeaAndStars
Summary: The concept of balance is the world of Ninja is very different. Reincarnation Fem!Jiraiya who never saw enough to have any clue what is coming. What did she know of Jiraiya? -He- liked toads and watermelons. What did she know of Orochimaru? He bit little boys. Somehow they have become best friends and their crazy balances the other's out. Like a disaster that needed to happen.
1. Two Orphans

Assume nothing. Female Jiraiya from the idea of what if you stopped watching Naruto before you really learned anything and then were reincarnated? You know the AU craziness by now.

()()()()()()()

"Now what." It was curt and frustrated and Orochimaru's voice was practically a huff of irritation as someone pounded on the door. The orphanage was half full, but some rooms were permitted to be alone. Growling slightly at the interruption of his book, the young boy hopped down from his bed to go open the door.

It was really not a surprise when a white spikey haired form rushed in giggling and so the pale boy simply closed the door again, lifting a brow.

"Thanks." With that the shirt was lifted and from where they'd jury rigged a sort of pouch with another shirt that was far too large under neath and flopped around from taking the bottom up and into the top a few times came a package.

"Mmm." Orochimaru's bad mood had fled when he'd recognized Jiraiya. There were _plenty_ in the orphanage he could not stand. But he had never managed to scowl or frighten away the other child. "Was it hard?" He was curious, always curious. His brain screamed for influx of information at all times even more than his body needed oxygen. They were only a year into the academy and looking ahead in older students books had shown tips on thievery. Jiraiya had been the one brave enough to go into the market and try it out.

"Yeah, but I think mostly because I was nervous. I kept trying not to be like you told me though.." Finally the shirt untwisting was done and one half of the spoils were handed over, the two children sitting on the ground. It didn't seem like much but apples and chocolate were both rare treats in a poor orphanage where over cooked rice and vegetables was most of what they ate. Even bits of tofu and fish were rare, and the one time they'd had red meat at a school festival all the orphanage children were sick. They weren't used to the richness. Chocolate though, a tiny bit here and there was worth it as they _never_ got sweets.

The apple was heavenly. Orochimaru closed his eyes as he leaned against the wall across from Jiraiya. It was perfectly ripe and juicy, negating the need for water. Beside him Jiraiya was savoring an apple but they'd both only have a bite of chocolate before hiding them. It wasn't the first time they'd stolen of course but it was the very first time it had been planned.

Silence fell for a while before after eating all but the stem, Orochimaru grabbed his book and brought it over, fingers flipping back to an early part. "Read."

"The..tra..trag.."

"Trajectory."

"huh?"

"Angle."

"Okay..the trajeectoni of the kunai.."

Slowly Jiraiya formed the words, eyes fixed on each character. It was hard, very hard. Orochimaru though was patient, as perhaps he would not have been otherwise. Perhaps not if Jiraiya had been what she remembered Jiraiya as. Not that she had ever finished the first season. She'd stopped at crazy Gaara and a sand invasion but had seen Orochimaru was a freaky dude when he bit Sasuke. So when she ended up here, in the body of a baby and the name of a character she did the only thing she could. Assume she knew nothing and move on.

It was kind of nice, not remembering how she died or even when. She didn't remember a lot and even less about the show, so really overall maybe it was a good thing. All she remembered of Jiraiya had been something about seals and toads and watermelons. All she knew of Orochimaru was he was creepy and bit little boys.

All the other characters were ones she may never get to see, and since she was a little girl and not a boy, she threw any delving deep beyond those snippets out the window. She actually thought her english and science classes may be a lot more useful to try and remember. Certainly biology..

So she'd embraced life as Jiraiya with one thing, she hid her gender. It wasn't hard really as children looked the same above the waist most their life until puberty so keeping her hair short and spikey and in the castoff clothing they were given she just didn't add any skirts. Out of sight, literally out of mind.

Being that she was Jiraiya, she had no assumptions on behavior or ideas. She knew later on from her friends who stayed in the fandom and exposed her to their chatter that he was apparently a pervert and wrote perverted books that Kakashi read. The rest was a nice blur.

And she didn't like toads.

So she was her own person and it didn't matter.

"Now this page." Orochimaru shifted it and she nodded.

"When making the stance you need to always balance.."

Helping her learn to read even if it was his awful dry technical books had been a kindness from the darker haired boy. She wasn't sure why, but didn't ask. Maybe it was because they were the only smart ones in the orphanage ate an age most were eating glue, perhaps because they were two of many trying to be ninja to make something of themselves.

Orochimaru liked to take things apart and figure them out, Jiraiya liked to look at them and figure out how to fit things together and get it done.

They didn't trail after each other so much as just always go together. Where one was, so was the other. They had been like that for months now and if apart it was always just what happened not a planned separation.

"Want to go out?" Jiraiya asked when Orochimaru was putting his book away. The pale boy looked at her, and then at the darkening window curious. They'd skipped dinner as it wasn't their turn tonight. The orphanage had very little, and unless they just wanted rice there wasn't anything else their group would get that evening. Tomorrow they would, and so the stolen apple really had been a good thing. Slowly he nodded.

"Where?"

Jiraiya paused, hands stretching over her before she shrugged, going to open the window. They snuck out all the time, the old building made it easy enough to find hand holds. "Library?"

Orochimaru's face lit up and he nodded, the two dropping to the ground soon. Both had grasped the lessons very swiftly from the academy because they were skills they could use _now_ to escape and get around. Silence was a blessing when you needed to be stealthy. Without a word the two slipped out, by way of the park. It wouldn't be the first time they hid in the library until it closed, or even reopened. On nights where the full moon was out Orochimaru would be absorbed in his reading and Jiraiya would fall asleep near him when she finished her own. They'd sneak out at first light to go to the academy where for the early orphans there would be a humble breakfast waiting.

It was part of how they enticed orphans to go, it may be humble but the rations were greater than the orphanage. Jiraiya had shuddered the first time she realized what that meant.

Conditioning.

Find children who wouldn't have wanted to be ninja, even if they had potential, by luring them in from a basic need.

It worked. No that Jiraiya and Orochimaru would have ever not wanted to be ninja. It was the only way to make something of yourself in the world after all for a pair of no name strange looking kids. Normal looking ones might find a trade or work at shops. For the unusual sort? Ninja was the only place the weirder you looked the more you fit in.

Orochimaru had just smirked the first time Jiraiya pouted about his neater markings.

It was entirely unlikely either had clan relatives anywhere and if so they'd died out before Konoha, mere trickles of legacy out in the world. It was the way things were.


	2. Making a Plan

The years went easily. Jiraiya learned to henge as soon as they could and pleaded Orochimaru to help ensure it was a good one. Only once positive she could hold a male form if needed when the mandatory graduation year physicals would occur -thankfully still years off and done by civilian medics for the orphans who didn't have clan secrets to conceal- did she pull Orochimaru off to the park as usual.

He couldn't complain. He had an adoration of making clones that was nuts and used Jiraiya to help inspect them. Getting the back of a clone to match was a lot harder than it seemed.

"So what is it?" Orochimaru's expression was flat, bored. It was the typical one. Jiraiya half expected this to not be a shock to her friend at all but had to inform him anyways. Especially because they'd been having a fight about how even with Oro teaching her to read and write she was not putting out effort in class. Something that he could not understand.

"Something only you are gonna know. The matron's never bothered to ask.." Jiraiya rubbed her ear but looked at him. If you didn't meet Oro's eyes he got funny. "I'm a girl."

Orochimaru opened his mouth to refute it..and then paused. Slowly his eyes trailed over her face, the spikey hair kept so short and the clothing. He crossed his arms and noted that Jiraiya was just waiting. Not even anxiously, trusting him to draw his own conclusions as always. It was nice to have someone understand your brain was vastly superior.

"You always did refuse to mingle like the cretins or bathe in the river in summer.." And with that he simply accepted it. The yellow gaze sharp again, waiting.

"Typical Oro, I mention that and you figure it's gotta be something important.."

"Am I wrong?"

Jiraiya smiled. No he wasn't. "I'm barely passing on purpose. I checked the old records in the library, I'll show you. When graduating they do the teams based on grades. One is always the best kunoichi and ninja, one the worst. All the teams vary then for an even mix of good and bad so they can work on each others weaknesses."

Orochimaru blinked once.

"There's only one kunoichi slot per team..but two chances for us to pair up if they think you're a boy..."

"And let's face it you're insanely smart and I am not up to that level even if I went for the girl's part so the only option I have is to be the dead last in class..which if I only do the last year is going to be suspicious."

Orochimaru tilted his head and actually giggled. "That's halfway intelligent of you."

The thank you was unsaid.


	3. Trust another to draw the line

Orochimaru was a stoic and slightly twisted potentially psychopathic nut but Jiraiya was always there to explain things and it said a lot about the world they lived in that her mind was content to not flinch at the needing of explaining..

"What's the issue if I'm trying to dissect the bird anyways? I want to know how it is put together!"

"Because it was still alive." Jiraiya explained, swinging her legs off the bench they were sitting on outside the orphanage. They'd been kicked out for the night, a fairly common thing when the workers got irritated with some of the kids. The idea was sleeping on the streets would make them more complacent for a while. Orochimaru had been livid the first few times, but Jiraiya was good at making contacts and getting information and had learned from some of the older kids who really stayed on the streets where was safe to go. It helped she'd gotten pretty good at sneak thieving and at least if not a blanket they each had a nice warm jacket she'd snuck back in and yoinked from the orphanage caretakers closets for themselves.

"Well of course it was alive. I need to see how the heart beat changes things and what muscles move.."

"Oro."

Orochimaru paused and looked over, scowl still in place but waiting for Jiraiya to try and explain it to him.

"It's because it was alive and in pain, people see that and it makes them squirm because they emphasize. They picture themselves in that position and it makes them scared of you."

"Empathize, wrong word Jiraiya..and I like them scared of me."

"No, you like the idea of power. But even a rabid dog gets fear. You want respect and with your brain you will get it." Jiraiya watched as Oro shifted and grumbled but finally nodded.

"I can make certain they are dead for a while first..for now."

"I'll start looking into ways to knock things unconscious. If you _have_ to see them alive can you wait until I get good at that? Think about it if it was me on there and I was screaming would it bother you?"

Orochimaru looks away from her eyes, silent. Perhaps someone else would recoil at the lack of response but Jiraiya saw the twitch of his shoulders as he hunches in.

Oro won't admit it, but the idea bothers him and she can see that.

Jiraiya sighs and then leans over, head on his shoulder. "People who hurt others that are helpless worry people, Oro. The world doesn't think as you do, you always say it is too stupid to do so. Don't jeopardize your future because people are scared you don't know when to stop."

Orochimaru had never given thought to people not trusting him as a ninja some day when the graduate because they fear what he would do in the pursuit of knowledge. Of course he has limits! For the first time though he pauses and looks to the side at the spikey white hair poking into his neck. If Jiraiya didn't risk his temper, though not so much these days as he's learned Jiraiya isn't saying no but this is why it's a no..

If people _had_ held his hunger for knowledge against him, shunned him and cornered him for it. Maybe there wouldn't be a limit to that. Because he still had trouble understanding why everyone around him wasn't always asking why. At least for all her idiocy in many ways Jiraiya was often just as curious..if about other things.

"You'll always tell me when to stop."

Jiraiya shifts to smile at him, it's the smug one that she's copied from him and has none of the elegance that Orochimaru manages. No, from Jiraiya it's all brutish and uncouth and yet..

It suits her.

There's no artifice to Jiraiya when she smiles like that.

"And if I don't, I'll at least tell you why I wish you would." There's a pledge there, a nebulous future that makes Oro close his yellow eyes because _Jiraiya sees it too!_

War will be back some day and while their year mates stay oblivious to playing ninja and thinking it is all protecting people and Konoha is Wonderful...there's always a darker side. Just like them. Yin and Yang.

"I'll listen."

"Yeah." She doesn't question him and Orochimaru smirks because Jiraiya knows when he says something he means it.


	4. Still a girl

The years pass.

The Academy is no challenge and Orochimaru is a natural at ninjutsu and genjutsu. He consumes knowledge and books with a lust that is almost perverse even on a child that young. He craves it to no end.

Jiraiya is a bit of a goof, but it's in wry humor and subtle ways. Jiraiya is called charming and has a knack for reading people that Oro does not. He still hates that she shortens his name to Oro but at least it isn't Oro-kun. Only once does he call her Aya. The fight they have is vicious and gets them bumped up in learning better taijutsu though so it was worth the resulting black eye and angry looks. Jiraiya's temper though is a swift thing, flaring up and then forgiven as soon as Orochimaru can manage an apology.

Orochimaru on the other hand holds grudges.

Not to Jiraiya though. Because Jiraiya has thrown herself into her lock picking and trap making skills, into every bit of subterfuge and infiltration art she can that they teach and goes to after hours tutoring for it. The results are that they have clothing that fits and food most the time. In learning to be a con artist Jiraiya masters charm and is definitely a budding actor of rare skill.

The fan girls they both have are a nightmare, though Orochimaru's aren't numerous because they find him creepy too..and Jiraiya is still trying to figure out why she has them.

Orochimaru takes far too much pleasure in teasing her that she apparently does well pretending to be a boy and has forgotten to be a girl.

The next day when he's reading in the library a cute little girl sits by him and it's not until she asks if he is hungry and procures lunch that Orochimaru does a double take. Because it's apples and chocolate which has become their favorite and only one person knows that.

The spikes are smoothed out and curled in a way that shows it was actually done by hand, going from shoulder length to her jaw now with soft looking curls that resemble a lamb on her head with a henge providing a lighter skin tone and her hair a gentle blonde. There's a dusting of rice powder that hides her tear markings and her outfit is a sundress in lilac rather than Jiraiya's usual grays and browns. She has flats on rather then ninja sandals and smiles at him in a more subdued manner.

Orochimaru laughs so hard he nearly falls out of his chair but concedes that she is better than he thought.

As they wander that day, with him calling her Aya-chan and she can't do anything about it..he would worry that someone would guess except that ninja are rather terrible at looking beyond the obvious and Jiraiya is not acting as uncouth as usual. She's being very demure and cute and sweet and almost acting shy. It's a brilliant use of the henge, so subtle as it's just in coloring that it doesn't even register as using chakra really. Hence the rice powder and the curling of her hair done in what she reveals was a boring way of wetting it and using diluted starch glue and pencils to get the curls to actually stay put.

It's very strange though at ten to see other boys actually looking at his best (only) friend like they do all the cute girls.

He even tells her as much when they are back in the orphanage, their room because eventually it just became _theirs_ and Orochimaru scared off anyone else who tried to bunk with the two 'boys'. He doesn't even remember when it was that Jiraiya just started sleeping in one of the other three beds there and it became her room as much as his. It wasn't like they really owned anything to keep in it usually.

"Eh? They thought I was cute?" Jiraiya makes such a face..a sneer with a wrinkled nose and squinted eyes that Orochimaru snickers.

"Not like that right now you look more constipated and about to sneeze."

Jiraiya shrugs, then pouts at him. It's so common Orochimaru just waits for the complaint that is sure to come.

"You're still prettier."

He denies that he blushes even as he feels his entire face and ears warm.

Still the fan girls never truly approach but it is strangely amusing to see them hover, clearly just as enthralled at the two such opposite best friends being near. They really are so different, and yet so very alike.

Yin and Yang.


	5. Team 7 has a rocky start

AN: Last one of these I have for now..I'm debating continuing this one. I have ideas but it seems a good spot to stop for a while.

()()()()()

Graduation brings new drama in the force to be reckoned with that is Tsunade. Tsunade seems convinced that Jiraiya has a crush on her which has Orochimaru doing his smirking sneer thing the entire after noon and makes him seem like he has an ego problem.

Jiraiya has a stupid look on her face because she has no idea why Tsunade thinks such a thing. Her hollering to Orochimaru to stop grinning you dumbass! Is probably not the best first impression when their new sensei walks in.

It doesn't help that they are then forced to sit around at the training ground they followed like ducks to get to and told to introduce themselves.

Tsunade is loud and vicious but Jiraiya is actually pretty impressed with the medic nin doing front line stuff and judging from Orochimaru's snickers her staring at the blonde is only making Tsunade's thoughts that "he' has a crush on her worse.

Which gets a faint frown sent her way by their sensei and Jiraiya inwardly whimpers.

Orochimaru introduces himself as such a nerd.

"Nerd." Yeah she can't help it and Orochimaru gives her a disdainful sneer, one that she can read the dancing eyes of but apparently no one else.

"That's not nice." Hiruzen says and Jiraiya shrugs.

"He says his hobbies are reading. I live at the orphanage with him I can tell you he always has a book on his too pretty face that's gonna bite his nose some day." Tsunade whirls on her and starts biting into the younger girl pretending to be a boy about how maybe if Jiraiya cracked a few more books she wouldn't have been the dead last.

Jiraiya huffs and crosses her arms. Hiruzen looks entirely done with the lot of them but prompts Jiraiya to also introduce 'himself'.

"Jiraiya, I'm an orphan like a lot of the brats in Konoha. I'm Orochimaru's friend whether he likes it or not-" a sneer and huff from her shoulder which is snake face for 'do not make me laugh out here and ruin my facade' "..And I like stealing and not getting caught." Jiraiya ignores the startled look from her new sensei and squawk from Tsunade as she starts counting on her fingers. "I like challenging locks that don't want to let me in, I like acting, I think people are neat and weird and scary all at once depending on what happens. I don't like when people make stupid assumptions because usually they are wrong and that sort of stuff is what gets people killed."

Hiruzen's eyes are a heavy weight and the faintest pressure of Oro's hand on her shoulder from behind where no one will see it prompts her to stop before she goes further. She's still the dead last to them and needs to _stay_ that way until at least their first mission. Until the team is definitely staying coherently together. Because of course Orochimaru had found in the records that most teams after a day or two dissolved and went back into the academy or the genin corps and was able to speculate on an additional test they would be filtered through.

"Goals for the future?" Hiruzen prompts. Tsunade wanted to revolutionize medics, Orochimaru wanted to take the world apart and see how it work though he had just left it at 'learn all the jutsu's I possibly can and everything about them.' Because of course Jiraiya had reminded him that morning that most people heard 'I want to take everything and everyone down to the smallest bit and find how it all works and then scramble back together' as more evil mad crazy megalomaniac instead of curious bookworm.

"Stay alive and in one piece and keep pretty boy the same. I guess Tsunade now too since we are a team." Jiraiya uses what Oro dubs her 'dumb face' when she answers, her arms crossed as though her statement is the most obvious thing. There's a look to Hiruzen that says he'd like to face palm as much as Tsunade is doing.

"Whaaaaaat? I think it's a good goal!" She defends herself. Whining as she does so which takes the attention back off her previous remarks. Slips the attention away again.

The bell test though has her _so not amused_ that she can't stand it. Because while Oro will work with her he has no knowledge of Tsunade and doesn't trust easily and Tsunade may be a nice teammate eventually but right now she's got clan ego shoved so far up her backside it's blooming out her ears.

It is not rubbing the two weird looking orphans well.

Both her teammates are pretty amazing though. Tsunade's taijutsu is way above par, and Orochimaru is already flinging ninjutsu at full C grade that he worked to exhaustion on regularly. Jiraiya's contributions are mostly unnoticed which suits her. She has bright white hair that is sort of a 'here I am take me out' sign on the battlefield so being ignored is rather high praise. Orochimaru knows what she is doing when she goes for their sensei brawler style, each of the three still managing to argue and interrupt the other's attacks rather than working together.

Jiraiya has in her wake though been dropping wire and flash mines, which thanks to Tsunade's determination to out brawl her, go unstepped on. Oro keeps trying to interfere and drive the man back but they are so outclassed it isn't funny.

Jiraiya somehow ends up tied to a post while her teammates are lectured but allowed to eat. Real food too, there's fish and nori and the smell causes her stomach to wrap around her backbone and beg pitifully. Hiruzen is lecturing her on her lack of help and she can't help it.

"Well I'm proud of being able to vanish obviously! It jus was a bad set up for it here! You should see how easily I'm not noticed in the bathhouse!" It's accompanied by a proud smirk but from the dark glare of Tsunade and the sudden menace of their jounin sensei..why are they mad?

Orochimaru sighs and catches her eye before letting his eyes slip down her rope bound figure slowly and then goes back up to lock eyes.

Huh?

Ohhhh...

Yeah. That would sound bad coming from a boy.

When the sensei leaves however, Oro is there with chopsticks and holding out a bite. It's far from the first time they've fed each other. When you're an orphan you heal slowly rather then someone fixing you up with chakra and on many occasions the academy or practice has left them with broken fingers or sprained arms. One time even just a concussion that had Orochimaru fussing over her so she didn't slip and crack her head open fully.

She eats carefully, not wishing to spill any and can't help the happy sound. The food is _good._ "Thanks Orochimaru."

"It would be of little use if you were too hungry to assist as sensei has assured we may after lunch." Always playing it off with a nonchalance, that's her friend. It's really his way of blushing though most times and she knows it.

What surprises her is when Tsunade grumbles but does the same. "Here. I don't like Tofu anyways. Not like I'll eat it."

"Th..thank you.." Jiraiya doesn't trust Tsunade though to not change her mind and bites the fried bean curd swiftly. Tofu is protein and they never get enough, indeed save for if she's been out thieving which is always raw fruits and vegetables or some onigiri, is at the academy breakfasts. Something that hadn't occurred to her or Orochimaru before now would no longer be an option. The idea of not eating everything you can, when you can, is a foreign one to both children.

It turns out though that in helping her, they pass Sensei's real test. Teamwork. He goes on to explain you don't always know or like your teammates but that won't matter for the sake of the mission.

For some reason Jiraiya hears it as 'the glory of Konoha.'

There's another layer of subtle brainwashing that the older man there probably doesn't even realize he's doing as it's laid down.

"So it is official? We are your team?" Orochimaru states calmly and Jiraiya looks over. There's a flicker of yellow eyes to her before back to their sensei and Jiraiya rolls her eyes. Orochimaru wants to tell because he thrives on knowing what other's don't. He really does. Perching her hands on her hips she just shrugs. If he wants to, sure. It isn't like she cares if it's his doing of it.

"Yes." Hiruzen nods. "You are officially team seven and we shall start missions in the morning."

Orochimaru nods, then smirks his egotistical bratty smirk that squints up his eyes and tilts his head to the side. On a girl without his features that may be cute. On Oro it is plain creepy and he knows it because he's practiced it on the window at night when there's a reflection from their ratty little room lamp. Heck she'd coached him on it because he _wants_ it to look creepy and nerve wracking and what else did they have to do some nights in an orphanage?

"Then you should be honored Sensei, for this is something rather unique in the history of Konoha teams, having two kunoichi after all."

"Ah, forgive me Orochimaru- _chan_ I didn't realize you were ..a..a..girl.." Tsunade says but smiles at him.

Okay it's worth it to see Orochimaru's blank expression like he's contemplating hitting her. Really it has Jiraiya sniggering.

"He's not."

Oro huffs, insulted as he crosses his arms but he does give a faint smile as Jiraiya shrugs, rubbing her short hair. "Even if he is prettier than I am."

"You? There's _nothing_ feminine about you." Tsunade glares, oh. She must think they are joking.

Jiraiya can't help her foul mouth and rolls her eyes "Really what's between my legs, or rather isn't, says otherwise. Besides it's safer pretending to be a boy." Tsunade doesn't get it but Hiruzen closes his mouth. Whatever it was he was going to say stalls.

No, Tsunade wouldn't know as a sheltered clan Senju princess, really one of Konoha's favored elite among the upper most echelon of nin society, what happens out there. Despite how young they are there's a few girls that have left the orphanage to go train in seedier locations because again..you offer food and shelter and warmth and a lot of people will take it. It isn't just the academy that figured that one out.

Orochimaru had been the first to realize it after the first few times Jiraiya henged slightly and went out as a girl to ensure she could still play at her real gender without being recognized. There'd even been a sick pair of drunks who had leered at her.

"I see..convenient then, that playing a boy got you on a team together?" It's a question but Jiraiya and Orochimaru nod to their sensei, respecting that he's figured it out so soon.

"What was with all the staring at me today then!?" Tsunade huffs, face red and Jiraiya smiles at her. She really is quite funny. For a clan brat.

"Well I thought what you had in mind is really neat. When you get it figured out mind teaching me the basics? I mean it's not fair to expect you to heal everything so .." Oro nods and softly mentions him as well.

"...Yeah. Sure."

For the first time all three smile and Hiruzen is pretty certain there's no one up to teaching the monsters, but he'll do his best.


	6. Sway

AN: I give you the mischief genin's get into. If there are any situations or ideas you would like to see or have me come up with regardless of time (I have no issues hopping about like a sugar high sea gull) either PM or just say in the reviews. If nothing else they may give me other ideas!

()()(()()()()

Sometimes the words blur in Jiraiya's ears and it sounds like just random chanting as a background. When that happens, it feels a little like a pinch between brain cells and she feels a bit dazed. It's like the language around her blurs into nothing discernible. Foreign. It only happens when she's utterly relaxed though, when she almost hears all of life around her as a sort of music. Percussive, rhythmic. It's not something that ever alarms Orochimaru, he's used to her sudden disconnect.

The first time it happens because of bone deep exhaustion after a day of D rank missions that is just sheer amounts of chores people don't want to do; it startles Tsunade and Hiruzen-sensei.

Jiraiya isn't aware of it of course. Standing with her eyes unfocused as she is and swaying ever so slightly side to side where she's sitting. Her drink held loosely in her fingers. She reminds Orochimaru of a serpent when she does that, or a willow in the summer winds. He finds her movements hypnotic, soothing.

"Jiraiya-chan are you all right?" Hiruzen-sensei asks with concern but of course she doesn't answer. She likely doesn't even hear more then the tone and inflection bleeding into the sounds around them. If she didn't pay attention in the orphanage when they were usually about to be blamed for something they did do but no one could prove it, why would she out here?

"She's fine." Orochimaru glances over. Wonderful he has the full attention of Tsunade whom while tolerable is loud and full of herself and Hiruzen who is a bit too swift in the praise to Orochimaru and too little to Jiraiya. It is he supposes, her charm. Jiraiya's amazing talent is to blend when she shouldn't and so all the hundreds of little things he notices no one else does.

"She hasn't responded in a while. Perhaps she over exerted herself?" Tsunade asks and while Orochimaru is approving of his blonde teammate's interest in medicine she's so far off point it makes Orochimaru wonder if she ever learned to actually _observe._

"Jiraiya when completely at ease loses herself in the world around her. If nothing important is happening it's best just to leave her be. She'll explain later if she feels like it." He wishes they would simply accept his words as the truth they are. It isn't as though Orochimaru ever says anything he hasn't tested and observed but they don't know him that well. It rankles still though.

"Loses herself?" Hiruzen-sensei doesn't sound pleased about the idea and it makes Orochimaru hide a frown.

"Jiraiya is..." Orochimaru tilts his head back, thinking. How to describe the conundrum that is his best friend? "Aware of things. This is not new, and has always been there. Indeed I have little doubt it is what contributes to her awareness when stealing or exploring. It is though she can feel the pulse of her location as surely as I can when pressing upon someone's wrist. It is usually half elusive but sometimes as now she slips into it fully. Just wait."

They clearly do not believe him but wait all the same. It is promising, at least he hopes this means they can be taught.

Eventually Jiraiya blinks and without hesitation turns her smile -the brutish one without artifice that is anything but attractive and yet his favorite- upon Orochimaru with her eyes dancing. "We should go to get a snack."

Orochimaru simply inclines his head and stands.

"Come on Tsunade, Hiruzen-sensei!" Jiraiya laughs and places her hands by her sides as she begins to run, twirling every so often as though she's been imbued with energy in a way that makes no sense. But this is Jiraiya and that is just how she is.

"But.." Tsunade starts as though she's going to begin lecturing and Orochimaru fixes her with a _look._ One that asks for patience and just to see.

It is very promising indeed that she just follows. Jiraiya weaves a path through Konoha's side streets going somewhere he is not familiar with but understands she could not explain right now. Not when her eyes are shining in that way after her swaying and the fact she cannot hold still. Her smiles and delight that he does not question her and even kept their teammate and leader from doing so warms him further because he knows with Jiraiya nothing comes without a gift when you have done so, and he will be doubtlessly surprised with whatever she finds to thank him. It is just how she is.

They finally stop at a tiny little stall, one that he has never seen before and yet there are almost no people nearby there. The place is clearly new, homemade and a little clumsy.

"Ohayo!" Jiraiya chirps and the man running it is gangly and awkward but beaming in that way that civilian's are shortly after fully becoming adults much later then shinobi.

"Oh hello! You're my first customers!"

"Daifuku?" Jiraiya chirps and it's amusing that she is bouncing on her toes, hands behind her back with fingers laced tight to make her behave herself.

"That's what the sign says!" There's happy idle chatter as he speaks with Hiruzen and Tsunade, even a few words to Orochimaru. The life story flows out of him as he has no reason to hold anything back from the ninja. So they learn he is newly married and he saved up money to start selling his wife's daifuku which is how he met her and fell in love. He speaks happily of how much he likes Konoha and a number of other things.

Orochimaru is dwelling on how it's a terrible spot so far from the common traffic for a stand. It's a bad idea, he'll never get the civilian's business. Then he takes his first bite and decides the quality makes up for the location, Jiraiya handing it to him first as she always does once she tastes one.

It's a very unfortunate habit the children are in. Because everything and anything could be poisoned over the years they have learned to take turns trying food before they eat it so at least one can get them to the hospital. They know the taste of most poisons set out for pests now at least. No one ever said that thieves only took the best things and Jiraiya learned the hard way never to steal from dumpsters again. Tsunade blushes and stammers something and it's a little strange to Orochimaru how much the stall owner and Hiruzen-sensei are staring that after Jiraiya took a bite of about half the Daifuku and pronounced it good she handed it to him to eat.

It's not like she has anything contagious.

()()()()()()

"So that guy was pretty nice..when did you hear about the stand, Jiraiya?" Tsunade asks, still pink when she looks at her or Orochimaru which Jiraiya thinks is odd but whatever. Tsunade is the wanna be medic if something was going around she'd tell them in lecture mode which Jiraiya appreciates.

"Earlier. Felt something was different."

"Huh?"

Orochimaru just chuckles and lightly -deceptively gently- swats Jiraiya in the back of her hair spikes. He learned a long time ago they are actually sharp and is always careful. "D'oow! Okay..um.." Jiraiya pauses then, turning to face them as they meander, seeming to be a casual fool but Orochimaru knows better. She's seen something she wants and is making certain she can recognize the place from the opposite direction. He'll learn what later. They don't trust their team _that much_ yet.

"Something was different in that part of Konoha and so I went to find out what. The most common things to change in the more civvy sectors are food places and clothing but since the weather is nice it was probably food."

"How did you know it was different?" Hiruzen seems curious and Jiraiya shifts. She doesn't want to bring it up. It's one thing to Orochimaru because he wishes to understand everything and never judges her but asks questions. Still, trust is necessary and this is something small..ish.

"I sometimes just can feel when a place I'm familiar with is different. It's like I can feel the spider's web quiver and I'm on the edge of it."

Hiruzen looks doubtful, and Tsunade has that look as though she's convinced Jiraiya is an idiot again.

Orochimaru sneaks his hand out and swiftly steals another daifuku from Jiraiya's pocket where she stashed a bag for later. The distraction is perfect for Jiraiya to squawk and chase him around and the matter is dropped.

()()()()()()

"Why does the fire lord's daughter keep a ferret? Much less four. Who needs one of the little stretched rodents but four of them? Four. What sort of crazy stupid ignoramus.."

"Good word."

"Thanks Oro.."

"Shut up." Tsunade's voice crackles over the head gear.

Hiruzen is a little ways away and fighting laughter. Sadly for his team they are very good at stalking and wrangling the creatures and so it seems they are being personally requested by the fire lord's youngest daughter. His heiress, and to whom marriage will create the next fire lord so when she was found to like small furry creatures one over excited suitor to the young girl had gifted her four of the pets.

This is the eighth time this week they've been called in. Half of that because the other teams could only catch one or two and a crying twelve year old girl demanded team seven who 'treated her sweeties like they were valuable' was summoned to finish the job.

Hiruzen thinks the expression on Tobirama's face is utterly priceless when he's handling the mess. Even better, the expression on Jiraiya when she saw the common features with their hokage and shrieked "ImmaNobody!"

There was no relation of course, but it was oddly entertaining to see the mutual freak out of the two spikey white haired nin. Of course the second Hokage was an albino and Jiraiya though an orphan did have parents with features that are tracked down to her registered in the orphanage records but still.

Tsunade had been aghast at the lack of respect. Orochimaru hadn't reacted until out of the tower where he fell into giggles.

That the personal nickname he and Tsunade are calling Jiraiya is 'little Nobody' was gotten from the Hokage is rather priceless.

"Gah! This is impossible...Jiraiya can't you do that swaying space out thing and find them for us?!"

The lines go silent.

Orochimaru doesn't have to even say a word for his heavy disapproval to leak over the communication but the faint hissing breath he releases does that for him.

"...I don't think I can do that on purpose.."

Jiraiya's voice comes out softer than she wants it to. Blast it she's a genin! She's earned her rank and sweated and cried and worked so hard for it but her voice right then sounds like a tiny scared little girl who is shy and nervous. Because Tsunade has always given her odd looks and she had really hoped that incident with the Daifuku stall had been forgotten weeks ago. Even if the amount of ninja who go by happy to be able to get a snack outside the busy rush of traffic has meant the man is doing a good clip and Jiraiya really enjoys the taro flavored ones from there..

It may have been the end of the conversation. Perhaps a new argument would start.

"Try." Orochimaru's voice is soft, calm as always. He speaks in mellow statements and it makes Jiraiya close her eyes and feels something like lethargy settle in the too tense muscles because it's Orochimaru.

"Keep quiet guys." She answers and she knows they will. She knows Orochimaru will be watching her, he's never really that far away and she sighs. Luckily though they're in the back alleys with Orochimaru, Tsunade, and sensei there she trusts letting her guard down and knows they won't let anything happen to her.

She clicks off the head set to be on the safe side.

Breathe in. Out. It becomes soft, even. She's hyper aware though and that's the opposite of what she needs.

She needs Orochimaru. She switches the headset back on and ignores the bickering happening which is almost all Tsunade's ranting on ...chocolate?..go figure.

"Oro. Need assistance to space out."

"Hm." She switches the headset back off knowing that all that will happen in the blistering request for explanations and yet Orochimaru won't be the one saying anything.

He's there suddenly. And she can hear noise from his own headset even as he turns it off, walking steadily towards her.

He's always there and it makes Jiraiya's shoulders relax. It's easy to forget sometimes, anything besides this life in this strange strange world but Orochimaru is there and steady and rational and..

his pale face is slightly creased in concern but his hands settle on her shoulder's easily and he says nothing. His face gives nothing away, the yellow eyes ever so vibrant. Jiraiya shudders and closes her eyes.

Because she _trusts_ Orochimaru above everything else she needed him there and he understood.

And she lets go.

Her connection she's seeking is silent. Utterly.

But slowly as she breathes in and out it feels like the ground creeps up in through her ankles and shins and her spine has roots coming from her shoulder blades that are creeping down to meet it. Her chin tilts up and she keeps her eyes closed and loses herself in the faint distant music, turning out the momentarily louder sounds that is so jarring.

She seeks the disconnect.

She seeks four particular lives in the dissconnect that scurry and prance and spin about and for just a moment her world _twists_ as if it just side stepped her from her form and her eyes snap open even as her legs give out and oh Orochimaru has caught her and helping to hold her up and her eyes aren't really focusing beyond the yellow _yellow_ yellow as her grounding point as she chokes it out.

"North east park.." and then she loses herself into the fuzziness that she vaguely recalls is like a buzz, as if she downed four drinks and it just started to hit her and her eyes cannot focus and her limbs feel heavy and tingly.

But Orochimaru is there and so she's fine.

They catch the ferrets.

She sleeps for a few days.

When Hiruzen sensei shows up to pull them out of their apartment (because the moment they qualified to get out of the orphanage they did and Jiraiya showed Orochimaru the best places to steal fruit for food even though getting caught stealing from civilian's was a hefty fine they weren't good enough to steal from ninja) he actually comes and sits down. Tsunade is with him and frankly after waking up and being forced to eat nothing but rice gruel that Orochimaru even went to the orphanage to collect because it was easy to make a dazed person eat, she's so happy to see Tsunade's cooking that she is smiling at the girl.

Without bickering.

The last is kind of a miracle. Tsunade and Jiraiya bicker as though it's their entertainment and it is for them, just no one else.

"I need you to try not to do that Jiraiya-chan." Sensei says softly and sets down books on summoning. "From my research it's like you're trying to tap into nature chakra and it is exceptionally dangerous. People die from it..gruesomely and nothing can be done. There are some summons who can assist with it but even though all three of you have vast chakra reserves for your age I do not wish you to try any summons until after you are chunin. You may start to look into the known contracts though to see which interest you, which I have gathered here, but not take any action. Understand you three?"

The collective 'hai' is rather subdued.

Jiraiya is just sulking because oh gods.

More reading.


	7. Study group and bets you'll regret

AN: Anyone have situations or days in the life ideas you want to see these crazies go through? There's a grand total of 8 minutes on youtube of these brats in canon. Not at all a lot to work with. Also new poll up, Longer chapters or quicker updates? Go give an opinion.

()()()()()()()()

Learning from Tsunade was certainly an experience.

"No! That's not..look you first have to mellow the chakra if you just gather it you're going to blow all the cells apart!" Tsunade snapped and actually swatted at Orochimaru's hands. She missed of course as lightning fast the paler appendages were retracted far out of her reach and slowly balling up to further keep them away.

Jiraiya repressed a tiny eep sound but could place the frown that was ever so subtle on the pale boy's features and intervened quickly. When Orochimaru frowned he was about to get vicious with his words and those cut far deeper than when he utilized his kunai. For all that the Senju girl was trying to help there was simply a complete difference in styles amongst the three of them. Really, what sort of idiot put teams together like this? For all it had worked out for the white skinned and the white haired one if they hadn't been so close they'd have been an utter disaster.

"Maybe you should let Orochimaru read the book you brought over first, Tsunade-chan and let's go get something to drink and snacks to bring back? My treat..." She added when it seemed the blonde was waivering. The Senju compound often didn't allow Tsunade to eat 'unhealthy' they had learned early on and it seemed she had developed the resulting desire to do anything and everything unhealthy. Junk food was the current outlet. Who knew what it would evolve into someday.

"Fine. But you have to pay for them." Personally the white haired girl had no idea why Tsunade was so against things that were simple fact of life. Poor orphans with little means and shinobi training just meant stealing. Why was that so wrong anyways?

"All right." Jiraiya yielded with a pout. She could hear the faint snort from Orochimaru. Of course he knew that she'd just end up lightening someone else's purse to recoup the loss. "Any request, Oro-kun?"

"You cease calling me that wretched nickname." He glared at her and while the yellow eyes were unnerving to many they had never had that effect on Jiraiya. The white and spiky haired girl just waved her hands playfully with her usual dumb grin. Tsunade had already gone outside so they were a little less guarded.

"You called me Aya-chan again you get to be Oro-kun!"

"It seems you forgot you were _hiding_ once more."

"Oh yeah."

Orochimaru just shook his head with a grimace. He was feeling particularly short tempered but then Tsunade had been yelling at them. Sometimes Jiraiya slipped and called him Oro, but it was usually when she was distressed or playing as herself in disguise. Those events he was willing to overlook. "I do not wish for others to start to call me in such a familiar fashion." He did not meet her gaze, just feeling it trail along his shoulders like a palpable connection.

"Got it. So, drink request? Because we're chatting and you know Tsunade's going to barge in demanding I feed her.."

"You offered." He smirked playfully gaze still on the far wall. "..surprise me."

"You got it!"

Jiraiya tossed on a haori over her outfit and met Tsunade down stairs. "What took you so long?"

"Orochimaru has trouble deciding on snacks a lot of the time."

"Yeah what does he like?"

"Apples, chocolate...Eggs."

"...Eggs..." Tsunade deadpanned and Jiraiya blinked at the tone.

"Yeah. I mean I love tofu. They both weren't common when we were growing up but protein. We both got sick of fish because it was always fish and over cooked and salted if we were lucky."

"Remind me to take you two with me to my favorite Barbeque place."

"Ehhh.." Jiraiya rubbed her neck. "We don't do well with red meat. Not in large amounts. Too rich. Was something we never got so it's a bit of a shock to the system. A little here and there though sure."

"that..that makes sense.." Tsunade mumbled as the medic in her started to take over. She frowns though and watches as a number of girls who aren't from the Academy are waving and calling out to 'Jiraiya-kun' with giggling pink faces and the shorter girl next to her always gives one of those stupid grins and waves back. There's lots of squealing when that happens.

"Why do they still think you're a boy?"

"Safer. Look, you n Sensei know about it and that is fine but until I _haveta_ be known as a girl I'm not changing things. Those girls are from the orphanage n know me cuz I used to get them back before dark, still make sure they head that way if I'm round."

"Why?" and it's the first time Tsunade seems genuinely curious so Jiraiya answers.

"We don't live like you, Tsunade-chan. Even our apartment isn't a place you should ever visit us at night. It looks normal right now but we're in the red light district. Only place that would be affordable to two genin and it's a miracle we can be here instead of the orphanage. Hey don't freak out, I know it doesn't look like it but really..it's a ninja village. You think this stuff would be advertised?" Tsunade just is staring, brown eyes startled and so Jiraiya goes on softly, waving and pointing out certain buildings.

"That one with the clothing? It's got some of the girls we knew from the orphanage who bring in customers at night there's a few back rooms in it. Just in and out but no room in them if you actually wante to sleep, not for that yanno. The bar there? It's cheap. Oro and I stayed on the kitchen floor once when it was raining after hours, the hostesses that work there and a few of the hosts too because you never know what someone likes, they let us borrow a few of their coats so we could stay warm when we had to get to school. The noodle shop there also sometimes sells stuff that they can't show receipts for." Jiraiya looked up at her and smiled but it was a brittle thing, one that didn't mesh with the usual personality the white haired form usually showed. "Sometimes bad things happen around here after dark and while it happens to boys too..girls are the usual victims. So it's safest to just be Jiraiya and let them think I'm a boy. Eventually yeah I'll develop like you are already." Jiraiya shrugs because Tsunade already has a figure but so what. "But I still don't intend to show it much. Just...not safe. The only time I look like a girl and get to act like one is when Orochimaru is with me and never around here."

"I...I didn't know.."

"Don't think on it. Just yanno, never come here or leave late okay? Unless Sensei is with ya. Here..." Jiraiya pops into the market and doesn't tell Tsunade it's other use. Because she doesn't think Tsunade will react well to knowing there are things besides snacks sold for people's recreational use around the shop. Jiraiya is not one to judge, if she can steal to survive how others make do is not her business. "Yo Baa-chan!"

"Hello there gaki, get some actual cash this time?" The wrinkled old lady asks with a smile and Jiraiya nods going to poke around. The old lady here is sweet and has accepted other things in place of cash when she and Orochimaru were hungry before but she can't do it often. Stealing items is surprisingly not as easy as just being a pickpocket as people tend to remember things they've owned so Jiraiya tries to never need to resort to the other method.

"Tsunade over here!" tsunade blinks, staring at the tiny wrapped plastic foods and the single fridge along the side that holds juices and drinks. "Pick somethin. This is the kids side otherwise it's all 'special tea' as the old lady calls it."

"Special tea?"

"Ya beer, sake, that stuff. And the snacks over there aren't as good." She doesn't mention they aren't as good because they cost more, or that the next shelf over are things that certainly are not for them to be perusing. Tsunade thankfully is a bit too startled about everything and grabs a few packaged treats and a bright purple can of juice. Jiraiya tries not to wince because she didn't realize Tsunade wanted more than one snack..but it's okay. She grabs a single package for her and Oro to split and two juices, both from the side crate and not the fridge. Orochimaru hates cold things and she's gotten used to not having them from it.

Not like they can afford a fridge or stove at their place. They're more than lucky to have electricity and running water.

"Here you go baa-chan." Jiraiya says as she pays, barely having enough but the bills are gone rapidly into hiding so they aren't in the open and the little lady waves them out with a toothless smile as the two girls start heading back carrying their bags.

"Thanks Jiraiya-chan, so...how are you feeling about trying the mystical palm again when we get back?"

"Think it sounds like a plan. Curious though, if you were say outa chakra or in shock so you couldn't use it safely what would you do for a cut like that one in the book?" Because Orochimaru is likely almost done memorizing the pages and will doubtless get it in one try now. It's just how her best friend is.

"Eh? Wash it, stitch it, wrap it.."

"STITCH!?"

"Well yeah..why are you so pale?"

"Needles..."

Tsunade can't help but laugh at her as they head back. The rest of the afternoon goes much better. Orochimaru now understands what he's trying to do and Tsunade is still shaken enough from what she's learned to be more patient. The blonde watches curiously as Orochimaru will patiently explain something to Jiraiya when she gets stuck on a concept. She's not blind to the fact they are still so careful of her and Hiruzen even months later of being Team Seven. After a little of what she heard today though? The realization is coming that they are two scared children who have only had each other and probably do not know how to open up. Yet here they are, attempting to learn from her and paying attention. Her team is a little weird but they are trying to let her in. Tsunade smirks as Orochimaru and Jiraiya start a glaring contest before the inevitable surrender of the little silver haired girl and tries again. She'll try being more patient. As weird as they are they are still her teammate's and maybe, more than that they are her friends.

()()()()()()

Of course, Jiraiya doesn't just stop falling into what they now know is lightly tapping Nature Chakra just because sensei has said so. Orochimaru keeps her distracted so she only risks doing it in their apartment but he sees no reason to worry. If the only time she had a negative reaction is when she did it consciously, then the natural falling into it is not likely to harm her.

They have the most interesting conversations when she snaps out of those moments too if only because they tend to be random.

"Mmmglrhs..." Jiraiya mumbles, face in her pillow and Orochimaru chuckles turning a page in his book.

"What was that?"

"Mmm..." Jiraiya flops over, graceless and looks up at him with her dark eyes. It's startling then, but Orochimaru always thinks it looks like she's stolen the night's very heavens and captured them in her eyes when she's coming out of one of her swaying moments. There's all of eternity in her gaze, as unfocused as it is. "W're gonna need more weapons."

The words are slurred but it freezes Orochimaru as he looks down at her. "Weapons?"

"mmm."

"Stop making that sound." He huffs because he needs to have an actual conversation here not just one where she's humming everything. Because there are ways that can be misconstrued and he's hoping that does not mean they are about to go into battle.

"Sorry. Um. Dunno. Just think we need more throwing stuff."

"Your idiocy at these stages is positively astonishing, Jiraiya." Orochimaru snarks but he's helping her settle better and tucking her in. She seems drained this time and he wonders why. Perhaps his hypothesis on it not being bad for her is off?

"Went further." Jiraiya chuckles seeing his startled face. "You looked worried so I guessed. You shouldn't look worried. Not over me."

"Perhaps you are forgetting the part where you may happen to be my best friend?" Orochimaru drawls at her. It has the desired result as she snorts in laughter before managing to flop her hand about as if trying to wave off his concern.

"Never. Best accomplishment in my life."

Orochimaru cannot answer that without sounding sappy so he simply sighs, going to check their stash of shuriken and kunai. They are low, inevitably so when taking missions and sparring. It's not like they can afford the better quality weapons so theirs are also in poor shape. His mind is rapidly putting the pieces together and realization sets in that they must be going on a mission soon. It is not that Jiraiya can sense the future, thankfully or he worries about the strain on her already peculiar mind. It is more she gets hunches about things, ideas, and as much as she can read him she's probably gotten a feel for the pulse of whatever is happening in Konoha or just outside it. Enough that the impression she has right now is they will need weapons.

"Feeling better?"

"Hungry. We got anything?" Jiraiya is sitting up now but it seems sensing so far out of her usual web was harder on the girl and yet..well they are both children. They do eat a good deal.

"ah." Leaving their weapons he goes to check in the bare kitchen, opening a few cupboards. It's not a good sight. "Some instant noodle cups." They never taste right just with the cold water but will work if left long enough. Nutritionally they are rather empty though. It's a last resort for when they just need to fill their stomachs, and do not wish to only drink water. The last paycheck went to cover the weapons they have because you simply cannot risk stealing from a ninja shop.

"That's it?" Jiraiya groans. "I thought I went out n got stuff yesterday.."

"You did. We finished it for breakfast." Orochimaru says softly and starts making them each a cup of the soon to be cold soggy meal. It is one of the reasons he hates cold food. It's getting into fall and they don't have heat in this apartment, not that the orphanage ever did. They need to use the next paychecks from D ranks to get blankets and something to cover the windows or the winter is going to be unbearable. Konoha may have generally mild weather but it can get cold.

"Sorry." Jiraiya's voice is small and Orochimaru leaves the noodles to soak up the tap water, going to sit by her and stare into her darker eyes.

"Don't you dare. I am the one who cannot seem to steal anything, the last time I tried I was caught. I draw attention, somehow you slip right past it. If anything I am sorry that I cannot contribute more."

Jiraiya nods and then licks her lips before giving him a soft honest smile. "Can you think of some new pockets or ways to hide stuff in my regular clothes? I may not wanna risk it here..but if we leave the village on a mission like the other teams are.."

"You think it's easier to pickpocket there.." He nods. It's a good plan, Orochimaru has to admit. Half the risk of stealing so much here is that ninja are everywhere and even idiots begin to notice when things go missing when certain people show up.

"May be the best shot we get."

"Keeping it hidden won't be easy." He grumbles and then tilts his darker head, eyes narrowing in thought. "Jiraiya..what are the odds..honestly..of your stealing a storage scroll?"

"...fifty-fifty." She answers softly. Because it's not the getting of the item it's getting away with it. "they're not super valuable to most people at least not the regular low level ones..still like four paychecks though.." Because D ranks don't pay well at all and leaving the orphanage they didn't have much. Having dared to go back to steal their mattresses and pillows was a big enough deal but they wouldn't take from there if they could help it. Other kids needed those meager resources now.

"Okay. So not yet." Orochimaru nods. "I'll look at changing the under layers up and my own so you can pass me things too..closest to our torso's is best so it doesn't impede us in a fight. Later on though we'll get a few scrolls and then we can load them up..or.." He taps his lips and sighs. "I'll go to the library. I just may be able to figure out how they work. I'd like that."

"The library or knowing how they work?" Jiraiya teases as she looks over at him and it's positively hilarious how catching Orochimaru in the midst of fantasizing about learning makes him blush. "But hey something that can make things vanish in others..that does sound neat."

"You want to come along?" Orochimaru asked as he retrieved the two cups of unappetizing cold noodles and handed one over. Fortunately the way they'd been raised it wasn't hard for them to just inhale the food without really tasting it. The texture was rather disturbing but at least they'd be full.

"Yeah. I could use a break. I just don't feel like running into anyone we know."

"Henge." He shrugged as Jiraiya looked over. "People are more friendly with you and that's why we get stopped. Just go as Aya-chan."

"All right. Grab something else I can wear that I don't usually?" Jiraiya nodded going to find the rice powder she kept to disguise her marks. "Not got the time to curl my hair..guess I can just slick it down..I wish mine would be all pretty like yours.."

"Not many have your coloring" Orochimaru said idly but it always amused him how Jiraiya threw out compliments left and right to people, mostly because she actually meant them. They didn't have much extra clothing but there was a longer haori in a color that didn't suit either of them she'd stolen a while back. That with one of Orochimaru's leg warmers with a belt and a scarf..would do. It wouldn't be attractive but wouldn't look like Jiraiya. "Just handle the lower half of your hair. I have a scarf for the top."

"Kay." She came out in just her usual mesh undershirt and shorts with nothing to hide at that age and no reason to worry she pulled on the haori and had managed to separate her hair into two spikey pigtails at either side of her face. A soft henge lightened her skin turned her hair buttery yellow and her eyes straight black. Her nose wrinkled though seeing the weird light green haori that he'd found but didn't say a word. "Look properly different?"

"You look like a fashion disaster." He smirked. "But in a different way than usual."

"Ha ha." Jiraiya rolled her eyes but followed him out. They took the back alleys to not be noticed in the area until they were strolling down the main roads. Really though the green was just between flak jacket that had been faded and pistachio. It wasn't a good looking color on anyone but the scarf on her head was black and so were her leg warmers that looked more like tights with the mesh shirt peeking out and another scarf around her waist it did work. "I feel like a moldy melon."

"I didn't realize you were starting to care about your appearance so much." Orochimaru stated calmly but it was expected. Senju Tsunade was a very pretty girl and dressed well after all, it was likely for the other girl on their team to start feeling a little drab by comparison. Foolish but people often did not make sense.

"Guess it is weird. I'll try to get over that."

Orochimaru blinked but said nothing for a heartbeat. Jiraiya kept surprising him. "Don't. You _are_ a girl, Aiya-chan.." he changed the inflection of her name ever so slightly and watched as she didn't do her usual flinch. Interesting. "You should not pretend otherwise if you want to do so."

"Mostly I just wish my hair would do something nice instead of making me feel like a spiney hamster."

"Hedgehog."

"That."

Orochimaru chuckled because in many ways Jiraiya was still such a little idiot. "Was that a request for me to try and figure out the mystery of your hair?"

"...Oro you know I think you're insanely brilliant and the world can't handle you now much less what you'll do when you are some unstoppable adult but I don't think even _you_ can solve the mess that is my hair."

"...Maybe in time."

"You do that and I'll run through town naked waving a flag."

"Deal."

"Wha!? I was kidding! Oro..ORO!"


	8. Have you seen our sensei?

AN: I dunno I'm in a stupid grinning mood so obviously Jiraiya-chan gets to come out. Which means Oro. Which of course means they have to get up to shenanigans. There's another update with a glimpse into the future coming soon as well. It's the first one where I don't give away too many spoilers.

()()()()()

"Pardon me ladies..?" The women looked over, in their towels about to go into the hot spring at a petite form with spiky white hair sticking out around her shoulders like a dandelion and a porcupine got together. Beneath the mop of hair dark gray eyes were dancing as they wiggled fingers at them. They had tiny markings from the middle of her lower lid and was dressed in a simple black haori and capri's with a bright yellow shirt underneath and a red belt.

"Ah, the boy's side is on the other.."

Jiraiya made a face. "I'm a girl. I swear...ugh even the boy on my team is prettier than I am.."

"Oh! I'm so sorry sweetie what was it you were needing?" And if the women made certain they were covered because they didn't believe Jiraiya was actually a girl, well, the fact the kid wasn't trying to look at them certainly helped.

"I wanted to ask if you'd seen a tall lean red faced giggling idiot with scrappy facial hair or a shorter but taller than I am pale giggling in a creepy fashion beautiful doll like kid around here?"

"..Um..no?"

"Thanks!" Jiraiya headed out without another word yelling loudly. "Sensei's not in there Tsunade-chan! Or Oro!"

"Not here either!" Came a voice from the men's side and a number of startled yelps as Tsunade glared at her as she emerged. "Why did I have to go in the mens side anyways?"

"Because if there really was a boy in the girl's side and they'd seen them they would have screamed and hit me on sight before listening to what I had to say?" Jiraiya shrugged as she kept going down the road.

Tsunade stopped dead, her jaw wide open. "That's happened!?"

Jiraiya blinked and looked over her shoulder with a stupid smile. "Remember I said I was good at sneaking around hot springs when we had our bell test n you n sensei took it wrong? Learned it the hard way. Happens. You got the figure, Oro' got the looks.. I've got the crazy. It'll all work out."

"You definitely have "the crazy." Moron." Tsunade smiled as she followed after her teammate shaking her head. "I like this outfit though, who picked it out?"

"Ehhhh Orochimaru put it together. Since we can't find sensei lets look for Orochimaru instead. Seen any bookstores since we got here?" Jiraiya swiftly changed the subject. Because yes Orochimaru had selected the outfit but it was pulled together with many a trip to steal things. She usually went for black because it was just easier to not be distinct. The one time she'd almost grabbed a lovely purple shirt she'd had to drop it before making it out the store in another pile of clothing of course. People just remembered the colored things easier so for those she usually went to the noodle shop for some imported stolen attire. Monochromatic she could do. For some weird reason Orochimaru was always claiming all the white clothing though these days. One did not try to understand how Orochimaru thought. It was safer.

"Maybe back by the inn."

Yes this is pretty much what their first C-rank mission was reduced to. Constantly losing sight of each other. It was mostly a routine mission to help a town that had a bandit problem to add a little extra help while they needed it. Just a few bandits but they had yet to attack since they got here. The problem was Team Seven was a whole different sort of crazy and one of them was always wandering off. Usually Orochimaru was with Jiraiya but Tsunade had insisted on spending girl time together shopping and so she'd lost sight of her best friend that morning.

Well, Tsunade went shopping. Jiraiya kept an eye out for things she'd like but the town was actually _really_ well off. The main reason they needed help was the bandits had apparently been the previous hired help. Which meant they knew plenty about how to target which shops. Jiraiya had gathered gossip while Tsunade chatted and had amassed a great deal of intelligence on this situation inside her skull to share.

The thing was she only wanted to say it all _once._ So operation find the perverted sensei and crazy genius had begun for the girls.

"Seriously where could they be?" Grumbled Tsunade and Jiraiya just grinned.

"Sensei's probably at a bar. Since he wasn't at the onsen staring at girls he'll be trying to find one to flirt with. Likely failing too..he's pretty bad with his words when he's fighting a nosebleed."

"Do I even want to know how you know that?"

"Remember the bar back home?"

"The one with the hostesses you're friends with?"

"Exactly. He's gone in there for cheap drinks as a teenager apparently and I got to hear all about how bad sensei is at pick up lines."

"You learn things about people that kinda scares me."

"Then I'm doing it right!" Jiraiya laughed. "As for Orochimaru..look for books. Or mayhem, but the mayhem is usually because he's trying something out he read in a book not that he'd do the dirty work of the actual _work_ but he likes to people watch and usually I'm the one doing the mayhem and he likes to see what stupidity I get up to an.." She was cut off by a pale hand suddenly wrapping around her mouth and a soft sigh next to her.

"Or just look for when Jiraiya actually shuts up." Tsunade drawled amused. Sure enough Orochimaru was standing there, reading from an old brown book with one hand, the other covering Jiraiya's mouth. She had been too distracted by her mouthy teammate to even realize they had gotten in front of the bookstore.

"Don't be surprised. She knows it will lure me out." Orochimaru deadpanned but he did look down at a beaming Jiraiya and slowly took his hand away. "Where's sensei?"

"We lost him again." "He ran off." The girls said at the same time with such a casual nature that it said it all, really.

Orochimaru pinched the bridge of his nose and had to fight the urge to break something. Jiraiya realized then he must want to talk because that was not his real angry face, but his 'the peasants shall never understand' face. And Jiraiya seriously wanted to know where he found a book talking about unintelligent people being 'peasants' because he took way too much pleasure in insulting people with it ever since. Seriously the first time he snarled "Be silent Peasants!" at some loud drunks one evening was priceless. His face when he realized he'd scared them into wetting themselves? Yeah if you didn't know Oro as well as she did you'd think he was a sadist.

"Tsunade you want to see if he went back to the inn? We'll check the bar. Since..yanno." Jiraiya made to grab at her own chest emphasizing the lack of anything. The last time Tsunade had gone with them she'd been mistaken for an older girl and it had not gone well.

"Sure. I'll just stay there or in our room. Come join me whether you find him or not."

"Got it!" Jiraiya chirped and started to tug Orochimaru along. They didn't get far before he began to speak.

"There's ..a scroll in the book store. I think it's on techniques. I saw old blood on it.."

"Lemmeeee guess.." Jiraiya pouted up at him. "Fine. Where you going to hide it?"

"Sorry." Orochimaru sighed realizing he had been rude about asking for it but true to form Jiraiya shrugged it off.

"I can't promise anything. Really. But I'll look into it. You start thinking of where you will hide it because sensei will look if something is reported missing." It wasn't exactly a secret Jiraiya stole, she had even said as much when they met their sensei. Stealing food and clothing to get by though was something most would overlook. Taking a scroll from a village they were guarding? Not so much. The challenge though was making her fingers itch.

"What if..you just ..let us borrow it?" Orochimaru asked slowly, his mind whirling.

Jiraiya paused and tilted her head back instead of to the side and her eyes sort of fogged out like she was going to start swaying only not. Orochimaru didn't dare even breathe. Because when Jiraiya tilted her head and got _that look_ it was the look of someone planning in ways his mind didn't understand. His own would lay out scenarios and future events it a nice pattern and he felt he could often crack open people's minds and find the thoughts that would lay them bare to his understanding but Jiraiya..

She thrived in chaos and you couldn't plan for that. Her sorts of plans were ones that you did not ask questions for, you just crossed your fingers and tried to figure it out later. If Orochimaru's plans were grid like and regimented with back up plans all carefully prepared Jiraiya's tended to be like a skein of thread unraveled and tossed into a maelstrom to snap and tangle and scatter every which way. They were fractals ever numerously multiplying in a pattern that distracted before shattering and doing nothing that made sense.

"Mmmm..." Jiraiya tapped her lips, the other hand rubbing the back of her hair which was slowly growing out though no less spiked. If anything it was _worse_ because Orochimaru was taking her silly challenge about his finding a way to tame her hair seriously and yet all the cheap methods he'd gone to ask the old ladies about so far hadn't worked. He'd even sacrificed one of his eggs because it and oil was apparently a hair mask that could smooth hair out. It hadn't, it had added a bit of shine but shiny spikes were not helping matters.

The last method had been a sort of clay derived powder one of the older kunoichi had sworn by. It made Jiraiya's hair straw like and _more_ pointed and sharp. On his own it had dulled the shine and dried it out. He was still hoping it went back to normal. It wasn't like they had much in the way of funds to work with and he had started researching local plants next. Attempting not to color Jiraiya's hair was tricky too.

He rather was fond of the snowy hue as counterpart to his own ink black. But he really wanted to see if she'd follow through on her half of the dare..

"Okay." Jiraiya nodded and started walking again, hand on his wrist to drag him along.

"Okay? What do you mean okay?"

"We're gonna borrow it tonight. Lemme figure out how to distract sensei though an for that first we have to find him."

Orochimaru just followed behind her and kept his mouth shut. The less he knew, the less he'd be confused by.

Their sensei as it turns out, was indeed in the bar. They could tell the moment they walked in as he was in a corner balancing his kunai on a finger and smiling at a pretty brown haired girl who was probably just barely of age.

"...I am ashamed." Orochimaru mumbled.

"Meh. At least he wasn't at the hot springs. Gimme a second..if I play this right it'll help for later but you stay here unless you feel like acting."

"We talking helpless or adoring sort?"

"Possibly flatter sensei so much he gets laid tonight and isn't anywhere near us or the inn level of stupid."

"...scroll?"

"Scroll."

Orochimaru closed his eyes and gave a deep sigh before nodding. "I'll follow your lead." Jiraiya beamed at him, and if there was pure evil in her eyes it was only to be expected considering the level of humiliation she was about to incur for her sensei and best friend but they'd laugh about it later. Holding her breath for a moment so she'd turn slightly pink in the face she then tore over to Hiruzen with a laugh.

"Sensei! Sensei there you are! Oh..hello miss, I'm so sorry for interrupting!"

"Oh, sensei is it?" The woman smiled at Jiraiya and the white haired girl had to at least give him credit, she was cute. Probably not much sense but nice and cute were always good so she'd not harass him too much later. As long as he didn't blow it.

"Ah yes Midori..these are two of my students.." Hiruzen mumbled and clearly felt he was about to be subjected to 'Team Seven Mayhem Brat Control' and it actually made Orochimaru feel a lot better about following Jiraiya's plan that they'd put such a fear of their antics into their sensei. He pressed his pale lips together firmly.

He would not giggle and spoil the performance.

"Pleased to meet you miss I'm Jiraiya and this is my bestest friend in the whole wide world Orochimaru! Have you known sensei long? I mean I know he's a super famous ninja and he makes friends everywhere especially after that mission in Iwa where he helped rebuild one of their villages even though he was called off duty and.."

Oh that was his role. Orochimaru was privately relieved she'd gone with this plan. It was a lot better than the adoring or the shy one and not so out of character their sensei would suspect anything. "Jiraiya-chan you're rambling. You know Sensei doesn't like us to talk about his missions."

"Waaa but Oro!" Jiraiya half turned away and sent a wink to Orochimaru before beaming up at their sensei who had this gobsmacked expression. "Sorry, sensei!"

"Famous?" Midori asked and there was definitely a light to how she was looking at Hiruzen now. Hiruzen blinked and looked down at his most loudmouthed troublemaker and then blinked again. No, that was definitely Jiraiya.

Because at ninja speed the white haired brat just grinned and gave him a thumbs up.

"Yeah but he's kinda shy about it Midori-san! I bet he didn't even tell you he was known as 'Professor' because he's so smart and he has a whole lot of kids jealous of me n Oro n Tsu-chan because we get to learn from him!" She was laying it on thick but as her teacher's mouth kept falling open more Midori was definitely looking at him in interest. Almost there..

"I'd love to hear more about this Hiruzen-kun, maybe you'd like to come over tonight and have dinner?" Bingo. Ninja were like celebrities to small town folk and she'd just informed pretty Midori that she'd gotten hold of a good one. If nothing else she'd have stories for later in life.

"Well I'd love to Midori-chan but..the kids.." He started and looked from Orochimaru to Jiraiya clearly worried about what they were up to (because he was a smart man) but it played in so nicely to make it seem like he was worried about them. Orochimaru could assist there. Their sensei was brilliant but for some foolish reason he thought _Orochimaru_ was the safe one.

"We will be fine sensei." He nodded for good measure. "You've already secured a room for us at the inn and we know our curfew. We can get something for dinner from the inn and promise to not leave until morning. Tsunade would be happy to have a night to relax."

"Ah..well..thank you kids. If you don't mind?" There was a tell tale blush to Hiruzen's face as he smiled at Midori and Jiraiya chuckled. Perv. But he was going to have a good night if he didn't blow it so sensei so owed them one.

"Sure thing Sensei we'll go now, so sorry to bother you! Bye Midori-san!" Jiraiya grabbed Orochimaru by the wrist as they meandered out. "Promise not to leave huh?"

"I said we _can._ Not that we did."

"Sneaky sneaky..." Jiraiya sang but nodded. "Think he picked up on the hint we'd lock him out of the room?

"If not he really doesn't deserve to be our jounin sensei. Ideas with Tsunade to keep her busy?"

Jiraiya blinked then shrugged. "Eh. Lets stop at the pharmacy and I'll mention I've been having trouble sleeping. Whatever they give us you find out the ingredients because I know you'll wanna know and I'll make sure it is gonna be tasteless. You have to slip it to her though."

"Oh that I can do."

"You know why you're better at slight of hand when I'm the one who is better at getting stuff I dunno.."

"You aren't noticed, I misdirect. Besides, they expect underhanded things from you."

"Not fair. Your pretty face gets you out of everything Oro."

Jiraiya looked up and grinned seeing his ears were pink and he was scowling. She did love how he _hated_ being called pretty but preened at the compliment all the same. He opened the door for her as they reached the pharmacy and Jiraiya didn't have to fake a jaw popping yawn. They'd been running all over looking for them she was tired. There was a nap in her future.

"Oh hello there, what can we do for you boys?"

Jiraiya groaned and promptly ignored Orochimaru's giggles as she smiled. "I've been havin trouble sleeping..do you have anything just so I can get one good night?"

The old man put her through the wringer. She had to answer a lot of questions and he kept looking at her forehead protector. Luckily Jiraiya really had trouble sleeping even if it was mostly because Orochimaru had been investigating seals and they'd been pulling a few all nighters before getting this mission. She was so going to get a nap in. In the end since she was asking for something to help reset her sleep schedule she was given a powder that wouldn't taste off, smelled a little sweet, and could be used a few times a week. Orochimaru played concerned friend well as he didn't have to even act just not hide his emotions as much and in turn drilled the old man on the ingredients and preparation and what they would potentially interact with.

"I can't believe we're going to drug Tsunade." Orochimaru mumbled as they started back towards the inn. Jiraiya looked at him with a single eyebrow raised because that didn't sound right... "It took us this long? We must actually enjoy her company."

Jiraiya sighed. Yeah. Now THAT was the Orochimaru she knew.

()()()()()()()

Tsunade snored. A lot. It didn't really matter, Jiraiya was busy making certain her hair was covered by using Orochimaru's black shirt to make a completely cliché ninja hood and face mask before nodding. She was leaving the haori and belt and shirt, just wearing the black mesh undershirt and another of Orochimaru's black shirts that made her give him a strange look. With her face swaddled it came out a little muffled but..

"I thought you liked me wearing all the black?"

"Balances it out." He grumbled looking away.

"This is one of your weird things you haven't decided to tell me yet?"

A nod was her answer and so Jiraiya shrugged. Like she cared. They had clothing these days it was enough for her. Jiraiya just preferred the black stuff because it was so much easier to hide stains on. "Kay. Follow in twenty minutes."

"You don't think it will take longer?" Oro tilted his head at her, honestly curious. Jiraiya shook her head though and was already slipping out the window. No explanation given. Well fine. Twenty it was.

He gave her fifteen before slipping after. It was interesting to watch her work after all.

()()()()()()

Jiraiya had been examining the place since Orochimaru first mentioned there was something he wanted from it. The interior wasn't really her issue. Most stores around here had proven to have the same layout it was more ensuring there was no form of security. As this was a civilian only place the doors were the only things locked and more than likely not even with more than a bell on them. Jiraiya found a window cracked for air that her petite frame easily slipped through. The main issue when stealing was patience. If you could be patient you could oil the hinges to a window, lift it, tie it in that position so it was propped up and then shimmy in. She didn't even need her crude lock picks. Luckily their sensei had taught them to tree walk and so using hands and feet she crawled along the wall and ceiling awkwardly like a sort of gecko.

'scroll..scroll..bloodied scroll..where would you be?' she chanted mentally as she scurried along curious. It didn't take her that long to find, Oro was her best friend and she knew his interests of the moment were in plants so a quick peek at the shelves..and for the record sticking your feet to the ceiling and dropping your hands so you stood..down? Up? Anyways being upside down to read was weird. Dropping back to all fours she scrambled along until she found the right location and then turned her head..left..right...le...

'oh hello there.' Jiraiya thought grinning wickedly as her dark eyes landed on a dusty scroll. Sure enough it looked like there were little flakes of blood within the coils. It was hanging from a hook on the wall meant to hold umbrellas. A quick check, a sprinkle of dust -that damned clay stuff they'd used on their hair was fantastic to find wires it turned out. Jiraiya figured the odds were decent it was meant for that not hair and the Kunoichi had mixed them but she'd keep her mouth shut- and it turned out the scroll had no defenses.

Civilians. Really. Lets just hang this thing up so it looks cool!

Okay actually she got that.

Rolling her eyes but not wanting fingerprints..she was wearing gloves for a reason and only took one off to try the dust, which come to think of it may incriminate her. She'd have to get rid of it before sensei came back. She eased off a coil of wire in a lasso and dangled it until she slipped it easily over the scroll and a quick tug had it landing perfectly in her hand.

Huh. Easy peasy. Tucking the scroll inside her shirt she went akimbo lizard style back to the window and out.

And came nose to nose with Orochimaru.

Stifling a giggle he just grinned at her before the two of them made for a nearby tree to hide in the foilage, Jiraiya leaving the face wrap on as she pulled the scroll out of her shirt. "So what'd I find you?"

Orochimaru was already unrolling it and humming. "Nice show by the way, I liked the dust use but it is .."

"Already figured that out After I used it." She interrupted and he just nodded. After all it only meant Jiraiya knew he was going to suggest the problem.

"Well..this.." he paused. "We aren't leaving it Jiraiya."

"Oh?"

Orochimaru blinked and for just a moment as his yellow eyes met hers it was the slightly crazed bookworm being possessive of his information but Jiraiya knew to just wait. He always got that way with new knowledge but sure enough, the pale boy slid closer to her and held it up so she could read. Must be something good if he didn't wish to hand..it..over...

"No way."

The two of them shared a startled look. The scroll was a summoning contract. More importantly, for serpents. Jiraiya shook her head and then nodded. "Kay. Got any other scroll I can go put in it's place?" Orochimaru looked at her conflicted and now she knew why he didn't want to let it go. She remembered when he had taken her to see his parents graves before they graduated and she returned the favor. They went yearly now, to both sets. One of the things they'd talked about was how his parents would never let him bring the lovely creatures inside because they were scared of them. It didn't help that none of them had shared anything of Orochimaru's looks besides the black hair and yellow eyes from what the young boy could remember. All it pointed to was a potential new bloodline trait, nothing unusual in the world.

"I..you..I mean.. you need help with your nature chakra..." Orochimaru said softly as he looked down, even as his hands cupped the scroll so dearly. He was trembling, fighting what he wanted and his urge to help his best friend.

"You adore snakes. Always have, I remember you used to find mice to feed to the ones that lived in the orphanage yard by the old tree. We'll find something else for me. Maybe your legless friends will get an idea huh? Just remember we have to wait until chunin okay?" With a smile Orochimaru couldn't see Jiraiya put her hand on his shoulder and met the yellow eyes boring into hers.

"Oro...I mean it. It's okay."

Orochimaru wiped at his eyes and nodded his thanks before handing her a scroll he'd brought in case they didn't want to leave it. It wasn't much just an old scroll by someone who had lived before Konoha was founded and writing letters. Oh it was probably worth _something_ but not in any way they would get an advantage of at their age.

"I'll be back. Wait for me?" Jiraiya asked knowing that Orochimaru was in no shape to help her sneak the item back.

"Would I _ever_ leave you?" Orochimaru scowled at her, trying to keep from falling apart. He never did handle emotions that well when they surprised him.

"Only if you were coming back with help." Jiraiya agreed before slipping back inside. It was even easier to replace the scroll and instead of hiding the dust she spread more around, making it look like it had blown in the first time someone would open the door. That done she reclaimed her tools propping the window open and scurried over to Orochimaru with a smile as she tugged the front part of her head garb down.

"c'mon. I need sleep an you need to put that away somewhere."

"Aiya-chan.."

Jiraiya blinked at the shortened use of her name but that didn't sound _as bad_ as Aya so she nodded. "Yeaaa?"

"Sensei said to wait but..what if I lose this?" Orochimaru sounded so soft and vulnerable right then and Jiraiya looked up at the stars with a sigh. Really, sometimes being best friends with a genius was a lot of work. When they got emotional over something it was impossible to handle things with them in any other way other than to just go through with what bothered them.

"Okay. Okay...ugh..look if he said chunin then there's got to be a noticeable chakra transference.." Jiraiya tilted her head, information tumbling through her mind rapidly before she rested her cheek on a hand. "He's never seemed like a good sensor..you're the smart one, what do you estimate as his range?"

And Orochimaru was looking at her like she was something marvelous before he nodded, breathing out softly. "Less than a five minute sprint."

"Well..let's go."

"Jiraiya you don't.."

"I am not letting you go out in the middle of the woods at night alone Oro. Just not happening."

()()()()()()

That was how they ended up in the middle of the woods at night together. Lost. But far enough away that Orochimaru felt comfortable using the contract. Of course he'd memorized it the one time they'd read in the book Sensei had left with them the correct hand signs to call on.

Poof and there was suddenly a small white snake curled up there looking around. Jiraya backed up to give them privacy.

She fell asleep.

()()()()()()

The next morning her own snore woke her up as she inhaled a little loudly and sat up. "Ahw..huh?"

Soft giggles greeted her and she flopped back down on her bed, grateful there'd been a room with futons so they could all have one. "Immahityouwithapillow." she managed to blurt out in one long mumble.

"Shut it.." Tsunade growled before rolling over and soon enough the snoring from the blonde continued. Orochimaru shifted on his futon so they could whisper and he was grinning evily. Feeling superior, clearly.

"So unlady like my teammate's are.."

"Yeah. So.." Jiraiya blinked but yes Orochimaru was still almost glowing he looked so happy and it was a very nice sight. "Wha appened?" She couldn't talk in the morning. So bite her.

Orochimaru leaned in, his voice pitched just barely where she could hear. "You fell asleep. When I came over to introduce you there was no waking you up so I carried you home. My new friend helped give directions to get back before going on their way." Wasn't that entirely Orochimaru giving information in such a way that they still couldn't get in trouble.

Jiraiya nodded, then poked him. "Sleep time. Giggle later."

"Go to sleep. I'm going to sit and contemplate my amazing skills and fortune."

Jiraiya cracked one eye open. "I'm sposed to be the crazy one."

There was a tilt to his head. "Maybe you're contagious."

"Oh good. Tsunade needs crazy."

"I think you're delirious Aiya-chan . Sleep."

"You sleep"

"My brain is too awake..don't you look at me like.." Orochimaru started in a warning tone but trailed off as he realized the futility of telling a tired Jiraiya no. Sure enough somehow she flopped over, wrapping both their blankets around them and cuddling close so it was a warm cocoon. There were some things that were Orochimaru's weak spots. Being warm was definitely one.

When Hiruzen returned later he was frantically shushed by Tsunade who kept looking at a pile in the corner. At the sight, Hiruzen wished he had a camera. Arms an legs akimbo Jiraiya was snoring and Orochimaru was fast asleep drooling.


	9. Teamwork or blackmail? Why not both!

AN: Yeah I got nothing. Enjoy. :)

()()()()()()()

Eventually Team Seven was down stairs in the dining area of the inn, washed and fixed up in their attire complete with weapons and enjoying breakfast. It was a strange rice dish with many things mixed in, clearly leftovers, and almost a slightly mild curry. It was also exceptionally tasty.

"Did you have a nice night, Sensei?" Orochimaru started after the typical chatter as they began eating. He was making an effort to eat slowly, something that Jiraiya still struggled with but then she had done a lot more running about last night than he had.

"Ah. Yes. Yes I did! Very nice!" Hiruzen said with a pink face and a grin that on Jiraiya was trouble and on Hiruzen came across as a flat out explanation of what he thought of his evening. It was rather pathetic but perhaps, Orochimaru reflected, it was just that he felt comfortable around his students. How naïve.

"Good. You know Sensei, you owe Jiraiya and I now." Orochimaru continued still placid. He was the one giving this announcement because Jiraiya wouldn't be taken seriously. Even if it _was_ equally her idea to black mail him and the methods had proven entirely her doing. For some reason sensei thought Tsunade needed to be coddled, Orochimaru was the genius prodigy (which he was but he was also able to think for himself), and Jiraiya was the loudmouthed troublemaker who didn't know anything about being a ninja. Orochimaru had a scroll somewhere back in the land of snakes with his name in blood that proved otherwise.

"Eh? Sensei owes you two?" Tsunade joined in and Orochimaru nodded, giving a soft smile. Not yet venturing into the creepy side of things as he sipped his delightfully warm tea. That was one surprise pleasure, Tsunade was a bit of a tea snob and happy to share. He intended to hint she could always bring some when she came by from now on for all they couldn't boil water without a stove.

"Yeah we made sure this cute girl who liked him but wasn't sure if she wanted something temporary decided to act on it by stretching the truth in a way that works for a civilian." Jiraiya agreed, going to get up to get more food for them both. Without asking she scooped up Orochimaru and Tsunade's bowls. The later looking surprised, but touched at the action. Orochimaru thought it was rather silly, the blonde had offered some of her matcha to them first.

Then again, she hadn't grown up in a world where everything was limited and nothing was ever free. Even Orochimaru and Jiraiya were always repaying each other they just allowed a longer time between it. Another thing they'd have to teach her, give and take. Orochimaru scowled inwardly. He really needed to make a list.

"Ah what did you have in mind then, hm Orochimaru?" Hiruzen was smiling at them curious as to what silly thing they'd ask for. Books, time off perhaps, even a fancy meal.

"Jiraiya and I are in need of some decent kunai."

"Don't you have plenty?" Tsuande asked because it was like asking if someone had underwear. You required weapons to be a ninja.

"We have ...some. Not enough in case of a significant attack and not of a quality I would like to be entrusting my future capacity to continue breathing to."

Jiraiya returned and set down the bowls, Orochimaru's first and then Tsunade's before her own. Quietly she also started digging around in hers for the vegetables she knew her friend would actually like. Like carrots. Why he liked carrots was entirely beyond her but then she had this love of garlic and onions and ...meh. It worked.

"So neither of you purchased weapons with your pay for the D-ranks?" came the voice of their sensei and it was no longer amused but disappointed as he looked at the paler boy as though he had personally let him down. Jiraiya answered because Orochimaru was not one to take such a tone lightly. If he opened his mouth he'd be oozing smug brat and that only ever ended well for her. She knew when it was his hackles being up rather than his being a crazed megalomaniac sociopath in the making. Don't insult the genius and he won't make you suffer. How hard was this for people to figure out?

"We did but we underestimated the cost of finding an apartment that had running water and electricity, a bedroom as opposed to being just a studio; and an actual bathroom with shower instead of only a toilet not to mention would lease to kids with no guarantee of future income." She looked up and almost snorted at the expression on her sensei's face. Really. She did have brains she just preferred to be underestimated. "Once that was done we figured out with each check the bare minimum we required for food because until the bell test we hadn't actually taken into consideration the fact that we would no longer have the meals the Academy provided as an incentive to attend.."

"Wait they did that?" Tsunade interrupted startled and both the orphans let their sensei answer, curious what the propaganda was on that little trick.

Hiruzen set his tea down to nod at Tsunade with a smile. "The Academy is aware a good number of the recruits come from the orphans or those civilians who may not have the most optimal balance of working parents to ensure the children get all their meals. They thought providing breakfast and snacks would take that strain off considering the increase in calories needed to keep up with the curriculum."

Orochimaru twitched slightly but no one noticed. He'd seen the brainwashing almost right away and always been thrilled that so had Jiraiya but really. That was a terrible story to make up for it. Even worse the fact it probably was well received and applauded by the populace.

"It did. Until suddenly there was no such resource available." Orochimaru took back up and before his sensei could say something else stupid he answered the likely question. "Upon graduating and being placed among the genin corps or a team the orphanage only allots a small time frame to locate alternate housing. When Jiraiya was sick they permitted me to take a few servings of congee but I had to promise to return and assist with watching a few of the younger ones." It was not a task he truly minded, all the orphans had chores and assignments and truly baby sitting was the easiest. He just divided it up, those who wanted to work on reading and writing he took, those who wanted to run around and be idiots went with Jiraiya who would set them up in competitive games until they were tired. It was why there was such an irony that so rarely did Team Seven get the babysitting D-ranks, they were overqualified and wouldn't have flinched. The downside was since so many people used D-rank missions for the local ninja, growing up there was no way to do said chores and earn pocket money. Otherwise perhaps they'd have tutored or watched children or even painted fences instead of stealing. But taking out a D-rank with the proper channels meant not only would you have three children doing the work but with adult supervision.

"There's two of you though.." Tsunade was clearly trying to understand and she had indeed been far more tolerable since Jiraiya had told her the bare bones of where they lived. Absolutely the minimum because you didn't rat out your neighbors but it helped.

"That means just double expenses, Tsu-chan." Jiraiya said. "We both need a lot of food since we are using chakra and training, after rent that's one of our biggest expenses. Neither of us can cook so fishing and such is out of the question. We eat a lot of instant ramen and stuff." If they could find one cheap, they intended to eventually get a rice cooker. "Mostly we spend what we can on weapons but there's a trade off between good ones or enough of them we can not worry as much about losing one if we don't get it back."

"Let me see." Hiruzen said with a lot more understanding and the two children handed over their kunai pouches. Moving his empty plates aside as the kids kept eating he slowly took out each one.

Not even eight kunai apiece and he could tell by the pitted metal full of dings and dull edges these were probably from the academy surplus store, meant for academy _students_ to learn on. The shuriken were not much better, most missing one of the spurs but at least those they had a good two dozen each.

"Where did you get these?"

"The Kunai we bought from the surplus shop." Orochimaru said, looking at his tea and fighting his embarrassment. Because their weapons really didn't deserve to be called that. "We have a single good kunai each for hand to hand that we keep strapped to our arms. The shuriken we have gathered from what is left behind at the training grounds."

Tsunade shoved a bite in her mouth to keep from saying something insulting. She had nearly forty of the shiny well made shuriken in her pouch that had been measured to fit her grip perfectly and never bothered to count her kunai, she just got new ones if she felt like it. All of hers were bright and with fresh wrappings on the handles as well as perfect edges.

"I think I can agree to your deal." Hiruzen said and handed them back because even poor weapons were still weapons, instead he then took out four kunai and handed them over from his own supply. He had a large number and more in a scroll besides. "We'll replace your shuriken later. Your hands are smaller than mine and so it's best you get ones that you are comfortable handling. You can use anything you scrounge up certainly but fitting is important. These are likely too big but.." He smiled then so they wouldn't feel any more embarrassed. Really he couldn't remember the last time the two would avoid his gaze. "I think that's a good trade, right?"

The weapons vanished swiftly, in the way of two who were trained that any offer could be rescinded at a moment's notice and then Hiruzen watched as Orochimaru and Jiraiya communicated silently before both nodding and this time there was a wary hope in their eyes.

"Sensei.." Orochimaru began slowly. "Would you be ..amicable..to such an arrangement in the future?"

"Oh?"

"We help you look good to the ladies and you help us with weapons." Jiraiya deadpanned.

Tsunade snorted. "Really? How do I get in on that? It sounds like it's pretty entertaining.."

Jiraiya grinned over at Tsunade. "I'll teach you. You'll have to do a different approach then I do but hey sensei needs all the help he can get."

"Wait a minute.."

"You may as well agree Sensei." Orochimaru began, smug and content once more and he smiled. "Jiraiya can be a...blockade...otherwise to coerce you into agreeing."

It took a moment as Tsunade and Jiraiya talked around the calmly smiling pale form about things Jiraiya had heard in various locations about flirting and what girls liked in older men according to everything overheard at hot springs and from the hostesses she knew before the truth sank in. His team was conspiring to black mail him or make it where he didn't get any attention from the girls when they traveled. All they were asking in return was decent materials to survive. If word of this got back to his own sensei...well Tsunade _was_ Tobirama's grand niece. It would. Unless he bribed them to be quiet.

"I think I'm proud of you brats...very well, we have a deal."

()()()()()()()

It was only after they got up to leave that Jiraiya remembered. "Oh! Hey, sensei that's right since we took so long to find you..I heard rumors that make me think the bandits are hiding out northwest of here and under the employ of the wrinkly dude with the big fake hair thingy who runs the jewelry stand."

"Wait, why him?" Tsunade asked with her eyes wide. She had been shopping at that one!

"Ehhhh because he didn't notice my eavesdropping while his assistant was showing you all those earrings. He was talking to the guy next to him about how it was a pity he lost so much of his stock last time but that since he was sellin it for someone else they were just sending him more. Usually don't they have to get it back or still pay for it unless some sort of disaster they couldn't help?"

"You think he's trying to make a profit on the side." Hiruzen nodded.

"It's possible. Have himself stolen from, claim no blame, secretly sell the 'lost' items in addition to anything stolen from the rest of the merchants and keep the full value rather then pay the cut he was otherwise due." Orochimaru stated calmly while glancing over at Jiraiya who wiggled an eyebrow. It was after all, something they saw often -usually never working out- in the district they lived in.

"Uh huh."

"Why would he do that?" Tsunade asked but she was learning because this time she was looking at Jiraiya who was not meeting anyone's eyes.

"Even if he pays these bandits off he makes a lot more selling it. Especially because all the items lost were clunky, melt down the metals, sell the gems, none of which are upper end so easier to find places to send them. Jewelry is usually valuable for it's artistry but since he specializes in simple 'organic' looking pieces.." Orochimaru answered because he noticed Jiraiya was looking around in that way she did. Pretending to be observant, probably trying to figure out how to steal some of the 'recovered' goods for their own use.

"Good job, I'll go talk to them and find out for myself. Why don't you three do a few patrols around the village?" Hiruzen smiled. If they were right, it would be a simple matter of going and taking out the bandits. If not, well he could spend a few more days seeing Midori.

"Yare yare." Jiraiya waved her hand and then Tsunade grimaced.

"Can't believe that I may have bought something from a criminal."

Orochimaru and Jiraiya exchanged amused looks. Clearly, Tsunade had a different idea of what being a ninja meant than they did.


	10. Peek into the Future

AN: There is going to be plenty of building up to events but I felt like a peek into the future because some of you gave me great ideas. Tamashino Suzume inspired this one. And yes I am content to write future events as long as I manage to not give away anything too important and they do not need to be in chronological order. These things I think are just fine. Now how they happen you get to wonder.

()()()()()()

"Suoh Ami, Uchiha Tobirama, and Namikaze Minato." The instructor was saying and Minato blinked but shrugged. Okay he had an uchiha and a civilian on his team. He could work with that. The real pressure started now. Who would they be trusted to? Some of the names he had heard weren't that exciting others would assuredly be astounding to learn from. How did they pick which jounin were available anyways?

"Team seven you will be under Jiraiya."

Not _the_ Jiraiya _!_

"Jiraiya!? One of the Three Sannin!?" His civilian teammate shrieked and this time Minato could entirely forgive her. "She's _ours!? Kyaaa!"_

"That's..suitable." The Uchiha mumbled and yet his dark eyes were wide. Minato just nodded dumbfounded. He'd heard of the Sannin who hadn't? They had revolutionized life of shinobi everywhere on and off the battlefield.

The rest of the teams somehow went right through Minato's ears. Because while Senju Tsunade was known as being unbelievable as a medic and known as the Slug Princess or the Green Goddess by Jiraiya's dubbing her miraculous abilities in healing, Orochimaru was the Sannin of the Unknown for his delving into research and jutsu's that were ranging from tiny things to great. It was rumored there was no mystery he couldn't figure out if given the time. Of them all though Minato had always been interested in seals and it was well known if you wanted to know seals..you went to Uzumaki's. If the Uzumaki's couldn't figure out a seal..they went to Jiraiya. The Chaos Seals Master.

"Namikaze!" came a voice and Minato turned with a blush to see Kushina glaring at him with her arms crossed. "I expect you to introduce me to your sensei. Over Ramen of course." Not giving him a chance to respond the beautiful red head flounced off to meet her own teammates and sensei.

He had a reason to meet up with Kushina later? Could this get any better?

()()()()()()

The classroom door slammed open but someone jumped in through the window instead, enjoying making them all jump as she landed on the teacher's desk turning their former sensei bright red from the view as he was eye level with her posterior. Their old teacher swiftly sat down and looked away. It was a _lot_ safer to never be caught appreciating the form of the infamous Jiraiya. Her old sensei and teammate's tended to be...protective. Of course Jiraiya had no shame and did that sort of thing on purpose just because it was funny. She never grew a figure like Tsunade's but her own was nothing to sneer at either and she loved watching people get stupid over something as common as flesh. Especially when she had clothing on.

"Hello brats! I'm Jiraiya, trouble and chaos personified hence why I am known as the Chaos Seals Master- master not mistress because I'm the best of BOTH genders and don't forget it- and you're now under my potentially unsafe often involving mayhem and explosions, guidance." Jiraiya was cheerful as she greeted them, before she actually smirked "Team Seven?" Three hands went up and before they could blink she scooped them all up and right in front of the class, body flickered out to a training ground they'd never seen and dropped them. "Don't worry the nausea goes away soon. Hope you didn't eat lunch or else too bad, puke where I won't see it!"

Jiraiya hopped up on one of the posts nearby before sitting with her legs crossed and was grinning at them with her eyes closed. Slowly the three genin got to their feet and took careful look at their instructor. She was known to have wild white hair that spiked out everywhere but it only seemed to do that in pieces at the top of her head and around her face, the rest carefully combined into a thick braid. She wore a black haori with a giant white stylized pattern over her shoulders going down her back and over a black mesh shirt with white bandages visible underneath covering her bust and tight black boots that went up over her knees leaving a small bit of skin visible below black shorts. She had bandages down her visible forearms as she waved at them and the standard gear pouches on each hip. Her Haori was held closed at her waist by a large red obi style sash so it ended just below her hips and her forehead protector was more a metal faceplate curving about her cheeks. Oddly it had the character for 'Nobody' on it. Her actual konoha guard was dangling around her neck and he noticed she had red stripes going under her eyes, down her face and it seemed even down her neck.

Minato blinked, feeling his face turning red. She was... _very_ _cute_ in a different way. Like she was wild and untamed.

"So introduce yourselves to me, tell me what I've gotten handed over to work with. Go on. I don't bite. That's Oro's thing but he's not around right now." Jiraiya smiled at them and waved her hand. "Start with the girl, always ladies first you know? Only it's more Kunoichi's first because otherwise they'll hit you when you least expect it."

"I'm Suoh Ami! I like dango and I don't like anything spicy! I want to be a medic nin like Tsunade!"

"Huh. Fearless?" Ami nodded. "Got a thing for getting your way?" another nod. "Got a mouth on you that doesn't stop if you get worked up?"

That time Minato and the Uchiha piped up. "Yes."

Jiraiya grinned. "Well that I can work with. Okay boys, Ro-sham-bo to see who goes next." When they actually took out their hands to do the rock paper scissors Jiraiya started to crack up. "Oh you two are all right! Go ahead Uchiha as a reward for having a sense of humor."

"Ah, Uchiha Tobirama I like collecting bonsai, I do not enjoy watching my baby brother as he cries endlessly. My goal in life is to live up to my namesake."

"Tobirama. Whoo boy. Yeah I'll have some funny stories for you later. Still, we can completely work with that and once we get doing enough missions you can always pay someone else to watch your brother and I can teach you a few ways to make that more bearable. Trust me I had to watch more brats over the years than anyone should and it clearly whacked out my sanity..Okay Blondie your turn."

"You forgot to mention you like learning how to _kill off_ your bonsai." Ami muttered and for some reason this just made Jiraiya laugh as she waved on to Minato to go ahead.

"Namikaze Minato! I like learning and I want to learn all about seals, I don't like being thought of as incapable just because I'm young and I'm going to be Hokage!"

Jiraiya tilted her head one way, then the other. "Okay Uchiha, Suoh, is Namikaze here a little genius who can't get his nose out of books?"

Another deadpanned 'Yes' emerged from the other team members and Minato felt himself blushing.

"Well that I can deal with too. Seals huh?..hmm.." She nodded once than clapped her hands. "Okay you little suckers are so lucky I'm not in the mood to troll you. Much. Here's how this test works. I have two bells.." She dangled them one from each hand and smiled. "The two who get the bells get to stay my students. The other gets kicked back to the academy for failing."

"But..there's..that's..not fair.."

Jiraiya's face went from teasing to serious. "Life isn't fair cuties. It's not just force that you need to get these bells but your brains, your skills. Everything that got you to graduate. Come at me without holding anything back."

Minato frowned because all the stories he heard mentioned that Jiraiya was every bit as brilliant as her teammate's just usually not where you saw it. She was clearly up to something. "So..what's the real point then? I've never heard of a two man squad.."

Jiraiya's lips quirked but she was never going to do this exactly like her sensei anyways. For all he'd made a bet with her and her teammate's if she did. "You tell me. What may be the reasoning? You have to get the bells or figure out something worth more than the bells before the sun sets. Consider yourselves lucky I'm feeling lazy today and don't have anywhere to go. Starting...Now!" Jiraiya suddenly flipped up from her spot with a little handstand and grinned, pulling down one eyelid and sticking out her tongue as her hand went to attach the bells to her sash.

They rushed her.

()()()()()

"Apple?" Orochimaru asked as he held out an apple slice he had just cut to her, leaning back casually in the tree beside Jiraiya.

"Thanks Oro. What do you think?"

"Of the genin hopefuls or your clone's atrocious behavior?" Orochimaru drawled as he used the refined chakra scalpel technique Tsunade had taught them, a method that took tremendous chakra control.. to cut another slice of apple. This one he ate before slivering off another piece for his best friend.

"The brats of course. I know what you think of me." Jiraiya grinned teasingly and Orochimaru just raised an eyebrow before shaking his head amused.

"You are right. They have potential. It seems almost familiar. A clan brat, two nobodies.." He tapped her forehead after deactivating the scalpel where Tobirama's nickname for her sat and she grinned up at him.

"Yeah but this time it's two boys."

"You liked pretending to be one and Tsunade could practically be one half the time.." He started but dodged Jiraiya's slow punch and shrugged. "If the girl was white haired instead of brown it would be a little more..similar. I'm glad it is not."

"You just never want to be copied hm?"

"Of course."

The two leaned back, slowly eating the apple and then Jiraiya tilted her head. "Still can't believe he's makin me take a team. I betcha Tsunade is watching somewhere too.."

"Likely figuring that if they survive you he'll inflict the horror on Tsunade and I next. Hiruzen-sama does have that crystal ball technique. It wouldn't surprise me if she went to him to observe. Though you were not supposed to change the method of the test you know."

"Hey he wasn't supposed to pass two girls with us. Happens. I do think it's funny though that with all that happened since we proved a two kunoichi team can kick ass just as much that it's more common to mix them up. Still, I ended up with the classic setting. Smart kid, smart kunoichi..wait.." She blinked then and looked over at Orochimaru who was smirking at her.

"The Kunoichi's the dolt isn't she?"

"Got it in one. I think Sensei is teasing you."

"Gimme another apple."

"We've finished the apple."

"Your _other_ apple, like you only brought one Oro. I'm crazy not stupid."


	11. Blood and Blue scales

()()()()()()()

Patrols were boring was a consensus of each of the children, yet they went off without actually voicing complaints for Hiruzen was their sensei and they had a job to do.

Team seven was caught off guard when they were patrolling just outside of the area without any warning of the coming ambushes. They had split up, each in a different spot and moving towards the next person's original location, like a three spoke pinwheel. Someone had tipped off their quarry and the results were to be expected with the bandits wishing to handle the trouble before it could begin, after all how much trouble could three children not even with each other be?

A great deal of it. Tsunade had wasted no time in attacking when she realized her position had been compromised. She was quick and strong with no shortage of knowledge as to where to strike, it was a plus to learning to be a medic. Where her other skills may be lacking certainly not her capacity to cause damage. Senju took being a ninja very seriously considering they were one of the founding clans and while she didn't wish to kill, she could certainly incapacitate and knock unconscious. That the bandits she faced had no chakra only made her life easier.

Orochimaru was in his element when the surprise attacks came. There was fast, and then there was once in a lifetime genius sort of movements. Orochimaru had the later in entirely unfair proportions. It took very little effort to twist out of the way, striking back. Unlike Tsunade, Orochimaru saw no reason to hesitate and each that got up would only be a problem later. You did not live where he did, and not learn that often it was only if your attacker could not get back up that you could safely run away he could not justify letting even one of them walk away from this. It still made his eyes tighten and his jaw clench as he felt the first hit strike true and draw blood. With one of his new Kunai from Hiruzen and their blackmail which struck far more deeply and clean than he was used t, causing a much greater amount of blood spatter than he intended and pulling a strange choked whimper out of him. Three more to go. He would process this after he knew he would be surviving.

Chaos summed up Jiraiya and in the ambush it was no less effective. She had Orochimaru as her best friend and while her book learning was terrible one thing she had gotten very good at, besides henges, was sparring with someone too smart for anyone's good. That meant usually being unexpected and brutally swift was some of her only options. Dodging one way then the other had her twisting chakra wire that went unseen, a few steps back and a glance to memorize the location and a flash bomb was down ready to be stepped on. At that point it just took an old kunai with an explosive tag, throwing it for impact with the bomb..and the bandits yelped covering their eyes, off balance as they tripped themselves on the wires knocking the air from their lungs. Moving swiftly a sharp thump to each of their temples took care of that and then with a nod Jiraiya got to the important part.

Robbing them blind.

She went quickly and amassed a decent collection of yen, a few trinkets, and weaponry. At which point she tied up the group and went to share her weapon loot with Orochimaru. Not that she was expecting him to have done anything less than pick them clean like herself but the pale boy was instead standing, staring down at the group..and the blood..in the area.

"I'm glad you're okay." Is all Jiraiya said as she went to stand in front of him but Orochimaru when upset was a very delicate situation and so she did nothing he could not see, spoke her words so he would not spook. "Can I hug you?"

Orochimaru flinched but nodded, the realization was hard to cope with that he had killed all five. But Jiraiya's hesitation was only to ensure she wasn't upsetting him, there was none at wrapping herself around his waist and though the blood on his hand was there, it didn't show against her black outfit. "Shoulda known you'd beat me at that..jerk." She mumbled into his shoulder and it drew out a weak and shaky laugh before he clung to her turning the light hug into a fierce embrace as if he was one of his new summons constricting prey.

Orochimaru never initiated contact like this, but if there was anywhere he could fall apart, bad time to do so or not, it was in Jiraiya's hold. Jiraiya started to ramble about her own fight, seeming to entirely ignore the soft sounds and growing dampness of her shoulder. If someone came up on them, they wouldn't hear Orochimaru cry. She'd make sure of that.

There was only so vulnerable the pale boy would allow himself to be. Not when they had just been attacked and could be again so he forced deeper breaths into his diaphragm before pulling back and nodding.

"You left them tied up?" Orochimaru said and Jiraiya easily ignored the hitch in his voice, nodding.

"Yeah! Even used that fancy knot you taught me."

"Are you certain you did it correctly?"

Jiraiya pouted and opened her mouth to insist but then slowly frowned. It was a chance, a way to let Orochimaru control when they were seen next. Because certainly her flashbomb explosion had been seen and at least Hiruzen if not Tsunade would be rushing there. "Eh you wanna check it over for me?" She said instead with a casual shrug. She wouldn't touch Orochimaru's dignity. Not right then, save to help him pull it back on.

"I..that would..be a good idea." He nodded and Jiraiya was the one who looted the corpses while Orochimaru found a scarf to wipe off his hand from the blood as best he could. "You suppose Tsunade was attacked as well?

"Likely. But I want to be sure they are tied up and not going anywhere before we rush to check on things. Would be just our luck to not do so and then have someone show back up..right?"

"Life isn't quite that evil." Orochimaru mumbled but missed a step when Jiraiya's fingers wrapped around his bloody ones to hold his hand. There hadn't even been a pause to the action. Orochimaru drew in another breath, clenching his fingers tight and shifting so their fingers were properly interlaced. It was the only comfort they would be allowed for now and it meant the world to both. This had been their first real battle.

"I'm glad your hands aren't red but you shouldn't hold that one.." Orochimaru mumbled but Jiraiya just shook her head.

"I'll always hold yours, so let mine become just as red. Won't stop us from being there for the other."

"Why is it always when you decide to become sappy you are actually a decent speech giver?"

"That wasn't a speech it was a cheesy line!"

"...you actually called it that."

"Made you smile."

There was a quiet pause as Orochimaru let go, checking each of the knots in the area Jiraiya had been attacked and then nodded. "Yes. Yes you did."

Hiruzen came rushing in at that moment, followed by Tsunade and breathed out. "I am relieved you are both okay. They struck from three locations if you were hit here."

"Four. Sensei." Orochimaru spoke but just shook his head in answer. Hiruzen was no fool, and the blood was still drying on Orochimaru's fingers.

"I see. Well, good job. I see this lot was captured so we can interrogate them along with the ones Tsunade found. I'll show you three how to do it and then you're each going to start trying with the questions." Hiruzen moved one of the bandits away from the others, ensuring his ankles were tied as well.

In the end 'interrogating' was essentially just asking the same questions to each and comparing the answers. The lot really was stupid, all of them had left base to do the ambush and Hiruzen was grimacing. They needed to bring the bandits in to town and confront the merchant, but it would take at least two to do so. Also they needed to find and secure the location..

"Sensei. I volunteer to track them back. The way they rushed thoruhg this the trail will be clear." Orochimaru said. Also, there was a chance in town the guard assisting Hiruzen may be required to kill and Orochimaru's tense frame and how he kept wiping the sticky hand on his clothes gave evidence he wasn't ready to do so again if he had a choice.

"All right..take Jiraiya with you. Here." Hiruzen held out a scroll to Orochimaru. "You remember how to use these?"

"Wait when did we learn that?" Jiraiya piped up only to have Tsunade chuckle.

"When you were busy snoring this morning still and complaining about your tests. I mean I know you aren't good at the book work and all but still having academy nightmares?"

Jiraiya crossed her arms and pouted. "Hey I'm not so good at reading, and I always got my kanji mixed up. Gimme a break..but yeah I'll help keep watch while Oro does the scrolly delicate chakra suffs."

Orochimaru barely managed not to let a smile peek out as the stupid act did it's job and Hiruzen and Tsunade forced the bandits to their feet each tied together and with clones of Hiruzen's doing the job of helping to march them along. Tsunad would more be ensuring none of them broke rank. Only once the two were out of sight, leaving the white and black haired pair to start tracking did Jiraiya snicker.

"This is awesome..they're handing it over.."

"I don't doubt sensei will search you." Orochimaru grumbled. "He knows you've sticky fingers."

"Orochimaru, you're brilliant and wonderful and kinda off your rocker in many ways..did you forget something?" The blank yellow eyed expression blinking at her made Jiraiya smirk.

"You got 'hiss hiss assistance' now."

Jiraiya dodged the hit sent her way with a laugh.

"Do not _ever say that_ infront of them. Serpents are very proud!"

"You know what I'm gonna do now riiiiiight?"

"Why are we friends again?"

Orochimaru fought laughter though as Jiraiya blinked at him. "Cuz we kinda just _are._ I can't imagine not having you in my life yanno? You're like..the only good thing. Well the only good thing I know will stay though I am starting to like Tsu-chan and Sensei."

"They're..tolerable." Orochimaru hummed and Jiraiya snorted.

"What's that make me then?"

"...necessary evil."

"Well since you're always trying to creep people out and be a little on the shady side I think having you call someone evil is a very nice compliment." The random chatter helped loosen Orochimaru's shoulders and not that long after they found the base. It was a run down old mill by a dried out river and both just winced.

"Originality people..why do they lack it? I mean I struggle to read and even so I have read enough to know you don't do this kinda stupid. This is a whole new kind of stupid!"

"You would know."

A rude gesture was her response as they proceeded with caution. No matter how much they kept muttering to each other that _surely_ there was some sort of trap or lock or _something_ there just wasn't.

"Wow. These guys you know what, seriously? How did they even put their pants on in the morning?" Jiraiya whined as she went to the only door that was locked. It wasn't even a new lock and in a few moments her picks had it sprung open. "I mean no attempt to hide the trail, no guard left here, they left _everything..ooooh shineeeeyyy's.."_ Jiraiya grinned and started going through them for the most easily pawned over time. It was going to be hell holding onto some of these and not being able to fence them but too much at a time drew attention.

"What would you have done?" Orochimaru asked idly as he started helping to sort the items. Occasionally he'd hold one up for Jiraiya's opinion. She was the thief, she was the final say on if she thought something's worth keeping or not. In general all the ones that had stones went into the 'return' pile. She was just looking for solid metal and chains, easiest to pass along. "Don't forget a few so that Hiruzen-sensei can find them and lecture you." Orochimaru reminded and Jiraiya smirked, winking at him.

"Already put a few aside. A ring is easy and a bracelet. I'll probably shove a necklace in my pouch too for good measure." The idea was to be somewhat subtle but far too obvious for a ninja to make Tsunade and Hiruzen think her 'thieving skills' were really more a few lucky times. It wouldn't do them much good to always be watched after all. "Letsee though.." She shrugged then and went to open another crate with a shake of her head. "Honestly I would have volunteered to guard, made sure one other person was here..maybe two. Pretend to hear something and go out back. Fall down after a shriek. Pretend to be out and then when they checked on me but turned their back? Knock them out. Drop a bit of clothing and hair, scuff the area up, then take the loot and wrap my shoes so they seemed bigger foot prints, get out. Go far away and swap my name and make the story I just woke up and I didn't know where I was and I don't want to talk about it. If I'm ever caught my story isn't so unbelievable but just seems like I was a coward and stole from the stealers that stole what we stole.."

Orochimaru paused, his fingers in the sign to lock up yet another crate. "Sometimes your mind is terrifying."

"Aw thank you. Call hiss hiss assist already!"

"Stop saying that." Still Orochimaru was quite pleased to show off his jutsu and there was a large constrictor there, at least as long as he was. "Hello again, I was wondering if it is possible to have you take some items for me until I can summon you at a later date?"

"What's in it for me?" The haughty snake asked as it raised it's body up so it was eye to eye with Orochimaru. The precise phrasing left no doubt though that it _was_ possible.

"Oh yeah. Perfect fit. What's your name? I'm Jiraiya. I like your scales I've never seen a blue snake before.." The serpent twisted and then did a sort of head tilt on an angle.

"You are peculiar."

"Yeah Oro tells me that. Seriously though you're very very verrryyy pretty. Or do you like handsome? Or.."

Orochimaru reached over and clamped a hand over her mouth with an annoyed expression. "Forgive my friend, she rambles."

"She only was speaking the truth. I am very beautiful. My scales are certainly more lustrous than any other blue serpent."

Orochimaru blinked, then looked from his summons, to his friend who he could feel smiling under his fingers. "If you encourage her she won't stop." He tried to warn the blue one but it just opened it's mouth in a sort of gaping grin.

"Marvelous! Perhaps I'll let you have the honor of rubbing my skin when it is time to shed."

Jiraiya finally wriggled enough to free her mouth. "Pretty please? Can I keep the parts that shed? Oooh I bet I could use them as jewelry instead of these lame stones.." Orochimaru was dumbfounded. The serpents were haughty and arrogant and difficult to handle, for all he craved their intelligence and admired their grace but with Jiraiya it seemed that same demeanor shifted more to a smug pride like a king with a loyal servant. The artful twisting of the blue serpent as Jiraiya coos over his beauty and begged- rather shamelessly- to be allowed to touch them, only had Orochimaru feeling..off.

He was used to being the only one that got that level of admiration from the pale haired girl.

"Very well. I will take your trinkets." The snake finally agreed, and Orochimaru was trying to wrap his mind around the fact that _his_ summons was coiled around Jiraiya's shoulder's as she sat on the ground wrapping up their haul in a bag. "When you summon me next I wish several very large rodents, and more compliments."

"Of course." Orochimaru agreed. Jiraiya grinned up at him. The serpent managed to unhinge his massive jaw and went yet further, more so than any non summons snake could hope to, swallowing the package before giving a regal dip of his head and vanishing.

"Oro..your summons are super neat."

"...they didn't act like that with me."

"Eh, I just figured since they were yours they'd probably like to be treated like you do. Still that was a big one! That's amazing you can do it."

"You both ignored me." Orochimaru said and he did not hide his pouting over the fact. Jiraiya shifted awkwardly.

"Well..he was cool..I'd never seen a summons before...I'm sorry Orochimaru."

"Whatever. Let's get this scroll to Hiruzen-sensei." Just as he was about to walk out though Jiraiya grabbed his hand again.

"For what it's worth. I think you're prettier."

Orochimaru was _not_ going to admit he was comforted knowing he was prettier than a snake.


	12. Chapter 12

AN: This is not on the update list. I am supposed to be trying to finish Forsaken of the Desert (14 chapters my big booty..sheesh that thing isn't even a quarter done. Why is it taking so long?) And then honestly I meant to focus on Carapace and Ghost until they were done. But someone left a review here. And another. And another. And then yes, I had a chapter that decided to come out. Just in case you thought maybe your reviews didn't help, when I have zero inspiration sometimes I actually go -okay so if something gets x reviews I'll update it just because clearly people want it- There you have it. Though I am so highly entertained by the number of people happy with my screw it this is my life now Jiraiya and shipping her with Orochimaru. Also to the fantastic reviewer who pointed it out yes they are older than cannon. I have _issues_ with five and eight year olds being on the front line. It's called muscular skeletal development and reaction times amongst other things. Let's just call them nine. I knew a few girls who later had stupidly large chests that started to show at that age. Poor things.

()()()()()()()()()

Orochimaru really should have come to terms with the fact by now that he was the favored student. More, he should have just logically accepted that due to reasons of blood relations from Tsunade to Hiruzen's own sensei not to mention the first and second Hokage, she was not only the other favorite but downright sheltered.

However, despite all his advanced intellect especially for his young age, Orochimaru had simply never considered that must mean a scape goat was needed to balance out the blatant favoritism. Oh certainly he knew his sensei did not think well of Jiraiya, always brushing off his second kunoichi's moments as sheer luck and stupid chance but for some reason the out right..dismissal..of Jiraiya's qualifications to be a shinobi and down graded into tolerated menace had never been so forcibly shoved into his face. And Orochimaru had to confess there was a queasiness taking hold around his digestive system at the sudden questioning if this was not at all a new thing but simply one the supposed genius of the group had overlooked because it had not been something his mind had been drawn to consider before this. After all, Orochimaru was _entirely_ aware of how unique and fantastic his best friend was. The idea that the common layperson was not still..seemed surreal.

Yet.

Not an hour before Orochimaru had witnessed Jiraiya track down a base of thieves, infiltrate and successfully negotiate with notoriously tricky summons for a demeaning task Orochimaru was still not certain he would have been able to pull off. Certainly not in that fashion! At least not without immense prostration on his own part. That same white haired girl had comforted him to get over the immediate shock of his first kills and not hesitated to grasp his still blood covered hands, nor treat him any differently save perhaps with a bit more care and a lot less sharp tongue remarks. There had been neither coddling nor condemnation but easy acceptance of the facts in a method that Orochimaru's brain had latched onto because that he understood.

And yet Orochimaru now found himself standing besides Tsunade in stunned silence, his entire form awash in cold. Whether from shock, anger, embarrassment..he was not certain. Perhaps even emotions he had yet to name in awareness as truly before Jiraiya had barged her way into his life he had fluctuated from curious to bored and nowhere else.

Said friend -best friend, perhaps even truthfully only real friend- was currently being held by her ankles and shaken by their sensei as he attempted to dislodge what contraband was certainly hidden amongst her pockets, professed of sticky fingers as she was. Fortunately she attired herself more in a boyish fashion still and it certainly could not disturb her locks any further, but the simple embarrassing display in front of civilians, had made Orochimaru motionless. He was startled, and it felt as if his brain always unceasingly on overdrive had screeched to a halt at the scene he was witnessing. Entirely unable to comprehend it.

Why was this happening?

"Pfft lemme down old man! Like I'd secure things that shabby!" Jiraiya mouthed off even as she turned pink from the blood rushing to her head. Her eyes had not left Hiruzen's own since he had suddenly had her in this state. Fury made her skin nigh as pale as her hair, though with the blood going to her cranium it was doubtful anyone could see the pallor. Oh certainly she'd half expected this, even placed a few trinkets where they would easily be seen but she'd thought her sensei would display truly exceptional skills and pickpocket her without her noticing. Or perhaps simply ask her in which case she would have slowly passed every trinket over in time. That was why she'd begged the beautiful blue scaled serpent to take that which seemed of value, because the odds of her being permitted to keep anything were quite simply zero.

But this?

Yeah. Okay. Jiraiya was getting seriously annoyed.

A harder shake was the answer and one lone necklace finally dislodged from it's precarious position at her sash round her waist. It wasn't even the better item hidden in the fabrics' folds entirely expected to be confiscated.

Slowly Hiruzen's face turned red in anger, resembling someone fairly along the constipated spectrum. One more hard shake and then he simply dropped Jiraiya, letting her land with an aborted hiss on her shoulder. Aborted because she was a civilian orphan and admitting to pain was _not done_ if you wanted to be taken seriously as a ninja. Nor was there health care for the poor and outcast. Fortunately the pain was a dull one from impact not the eye watering warning of a dislocated limb or something broken. Hokages knew she'd made Orochimaru set her limbs enough as she had done for him to know what that type of pain felt like.

"Ow!" Didn't mean she wasn't going to hope to distract from the whole stolen objects in her clothing part.

"Jiraiya. I am _very_ disappointed in you. Now, hand them over."

Slowly Jiraiya flopped onto her back and then sat up, half scowling half pouting up at their sensei, an expression all the stranger considering the red tear drop marks on her face. "Aw come on Sensei.."

"Hand. Them. Over."

Grumbling Jiraiya stood up and without ever really showing where the things were hidden thanks to long practiced sleight of hand, she passed each of the planned items over. Only hesitating on the last. A small pendant.

"All of them Jiraiya."

"I.." Jiraiya looked from it up to Hiruzen, her expression easily readable to Orochimaru. This was one item she had thought she'd given to his summons and not realized otherwise. While curious as to why she seemed so unusually recalcitrant he knew not to underestimate his best friend.

"Can I..please. Keep this one? Please sensei?"

"No Jiraiya. Hand it over."

Jiraiya looked back down, running her thumb over the pale stone. "But..it reminds me of Oro's eyes.."

So busy looking at her treasure she missed the sudden wide eyed and blushing expression on Tsunade and Hiruzen as they read more into that statement than just Jiraiya wanting another reminder of her best friend. For his own part Orochimaru resisted the urge to smile, amused that even with him physically there she wanted another symbol of their relationship. How utterly like his sentimental idiot of a best friend.

"Ah...I see..well.." Hiruzen cleared his throat. "I suppose...I can allow that."

Jiraiya blinked up at them, completely puzzled as to why Tsunade was clearly hiding a squeal and Hiruzen seemed rosy cheeked himself. What, was there a fever catching?


	13. Future Interlude -Hair taming-

AN: Another future jump just because it cracked me up.

()()()()()()()()()()

"Aiya-chan." It was said so softly, so silken that Jiraiya knew nothing good would come of this. Orochimaru had come into her reading area, a series of various soft couches and oversized pillows in the scroll room where she could sprawl in any number of odd positions and always have a blanket in reach if she wanted.

He didn't usually come into her reading room, the scrolls in here were ones that he had already read or simply had no interest in. It was sort of the overflowing library in the house they had rented when they had enough to upgrade from their third apartment and technically should be the living room. Since they had so many scrolls the dining room was the formal library and this was the one for things Orochimaru did not deem important. Thus, it was also the far more comfortable room and Jiraiya spent most her time in there usually upside down or in some weird gangly contortion.

So it was no surprise she needed to turn her head to look up at her upside down teammate to her vision. "Yeah, Oro-kun? What is it?" She'd long ago ceased whining when he shortened her name, it wasn't like either of them had short ones and while hers was done affectionately 'Aiya-chan' when she was not in disguise was usually a sign her best friend was up to something. Really, in some utterly twisted fashion, it was his own sweet way of warning her she was in for some deep trouble. Considering the fact that the snake master could hold a grudge like no one else and tended towards abject humiliation and obliteration if his target was lucky, that he deigned to warn her was actually..kind of nice.

"Do you remember when we were children? A specific bet was made about your hair.." Orochimaru smirked as he swayed a bottle back and forth. "I think I have it figured out, Aiya-chan."

"Seriously?" Jiraiya twisted on the overstuffed couch and let her scroll on sealing methods for delaying one's ovulation and thus menstruation cycle fall to the ground. Those ancient Uzumaki's had been smart but she wanted to be sure there were no side effects. She still fully intended to ask Orochimaru to give his opinion when she was positive she understood everything contained within because if it worked only to visit hell upon her later on it wouldn't be worth it. Well, except for those stupidly crazy situations she ended up in _all the freaking time_ with her team. Then, maybe. Tsunade had awful cycles too, there was only so much crazy levels of activity could do.

"Mmmhmm..." Orochimaru gave his little head tilt and giggle which promptly sent Jiraiya's stomach to hide somewhere around her ankles. "You should apply this while your hair is damp, not wet, not dry. Just a little work from a towel."

"Now?" Jiraiya whined and pouted at him. "But I just showered this morning and there's no way our rickety old water pump is hot again!"

Orochimaru paused at that and actually dropped his leering grin. If anyone hated the cold, it was her too pretty and pale best friend. He even insisted on paying for extra installation around the entire house when they purchased it, not that they had the funds for it at the time. Saving up for a place that was truly their own, no landlord had been enough of a chore. Yet Jiraiya never could resist his eyes, especially if he brought out his cute little snake summons which would curl in a lethargic ball to escape the chill right along her ribs. He knew she loved the little stinkers and fully took advantage of that.

"It can wait until tomorrow." Orochimaru finally conceded with a pout. Oh. He was feeling evil. Though it had taken him some time he had learned that pouting was the quickest way to melt any complaints Jiraiya had, she was always a sucker for seeing him happy. The very fact he'd spent nearly six years trying to make something that would tame her hair for her of course did not cross his mind to remind him he likewise would do anything to make her smile, even if it was based off a throwaway remark.

"Well can it be used in the bath? I think I got that heat seal to work.." Jiraiya muttered and that made Orochimaru frown.

"No, it would affect all of your hair."

"Pfft," Jiraiya smirked at him. "I don't have any besides eye lashes and brows.."

There was a moment Orochimaru blinked as he ran over all the varied locations the human body proceeded to grow hair for various reasons long since unneeded thanks to evolution before rolling his eyes. "Too much information. I would have thought considering the change in your bone and fat structure that you had hair in.."

"Seriously?!" Jiraiya groaned. "I remove it, you crazy science man snake guy."

"why?" Orochimaru asked as he walked across the room, sitting beside the moaning Jiraiya who was still haphazardly draped over their couch. "Hair in the various locations which sprouts after puberty is to conduct pheromones, help with sanitation.."

Jiraiya looked at him annoyed, though her grin was boorish as ever. "You don't grow any do you Oro-kun?"

He hesitated a moment, too long and finally sighed. "I do not. It is apparently a side effect of being a summoner of snakes."

"Really? Jealous. I need to do a whole seal thing or else shave and frankly sharp objects near sensitive skin, not my thing." Jiraiya stated as she shifted to flop her legs into his lap. At least it wasn't her hair, that tended to hurt with the spines it formed. Without prompting Orochimaru set aside the bottle and began rubbing her calves, noticing that Jiraiya was still sore from her last spar with Tsunade and likely did not have the chakra to spare to heal herself. Pride? Certainly, but common sense was not a hallmark of either of his teammate's. Even these days.

"Theoretically, that is false. Considering most such areas are near erogenous zones the risk of a sharp object in proximity would likely cause fear or excited arousal if not both in the body." Orochimaru replied casually as he dug his fingers into Jiraiya's calf with a soft pulse of healing chakra.

"Kinky."

"Hardly. Common information." Orochimaru paused then and glanced up at the grinning Jiraiya. "Really? You were not aware of this? I thought you read my last notes?"

"Oro, I love you, seriously you are my best friend. But you gave me eighty pages of notes. I didn't get through them all yet." Jiraiya deadpanned and Orochimaru sighed.

"You got distracted?"

Jiraiya grinned at him and Orochimaru couldn't help but smile back. After all, most the time Jiraiya did get distracted but it was also because they were looking up something useful. Or experimenting with seals no one else could reproduce.

"You _will_ be using the concoction in the morning." Orochimaru scolded and Jiraiya blinked.

"You're sure it'll work this time?"

"Sure enough I purchased a camera for your inevitable streaking down the village." Orochimaru agreed. Jiraiya huffed and held out her hand for the bottle.

"Will it work in cold water?" At Orochimaru giving a nod, a grin starting to form she groaned but flopped off the super comfortable couch and went to take a cold shower. "Fine. Fine, we'll see."

An hour later, all of Konoha was treated to the sight of a blurred form streaking completely naked through the village.

Tsunade slapped her hand on her face and turned to the grinning evil mastermind. "You knew she could run fast enough no one would see, right Oro?"

"Of course. I want her embarrassed, not ashamed. For all I am fairly certain Jiraiya cannot actually feel such, I still prefer to keep her on the pleasant side so she does not blow up my lab." Orochimaru agreed as he looked at the printed image, he had timed it just so that you could see the bright flush on Jiraiya's face but her actual form was covered in mid-run from both arm and leg being extended. It would be a fine keepsake. "She should know better than to doubt me."

"Trust me, Orochimaru, I doubt she thought you wouldn't pull it off. More like you wouldn't remember the bet." After a moment Tsunade realized he was marking something off in a notebook. "How many more stupid things are you still trying to prove?"

"Twenty-six."

"Got it, what humiliation is next for our teammate with the big mouth?" Really, she just couldn't be surprised by them anymore. At some point, she and Hiruzen had just realized their teammates were perpetually immature idiots despite being absolute geniuses in their own right.

"The time she said she wouldn't be caught in a dress like that woman from the land of Tea unless she was dead."

Tsunade paused. "You do know that was because it was a man in a tiny costume, yes, Orochimaru?"

"And?"

"Forget I said anything, I want a copy of the photo."

Orochimaru paused and looked over at his blonde teammate. "Then you had best bring a camera of your own." He had to this date a slew of photos embarrassing Jiraiya, and she of them all, but especially himself, but he never shared and neither did his white-haired companion. If Tsunade was going to start taking photos, she'd soon find Orochimaru was a master of destroying film unless he was complacent about evidence being kept. Not even Jiraiya could hide her attempts at blackmail from him despite her ever increasing methods. Eventually, he figured the little idiot would remember she could use seals. Until then, he was glad for the distractions that came to humiliate both his teammate's.

Hmm. Perhaps it was time to catch Tsunade when she was flirting with Dan? Yes, that should distract her nicely...


	14. Apology

They had left the village earlier, and camp was already set up. It had been fairly quiet, a subdued Jiraiya once more keeping a low profile as she hadn't really done since their academy days. It was frankly, confusing Orochimaru. Why had their sensei done that in public? Why hadn't he apologized? Surely, by now it should have been done? Not even Tsunade had thought to check on if Jiraiya's shoulder was alright when she was dropped. Oh, Orochimaru knew she hadn't dislocated it, he knew the precise way she hunched and grimaced when that happened but it was the very principle of the matter that had the young genius waiting.

And waiting.

No one was doing anything. It was rendering Orochimaru both speechless and a slowly growing fury down his limbs. Hiruzen had humiliated, completely, his best friend in front of the village they had been there to serve and likely would impact their reports when filed with the Hokage. Who knew what ways that would affect Jiraiya's career? Not only that but what if she was genuinely hurt? Tsunade had done nothing.

Orochimaru was not surprised that Jiraiya clenched her jaw and kept silent. They had learned that lesson early in the orphanage and on the streets. No one really cared about the nobody kids, they'd talk nicely certainly, but if facing giving up coin they wished to spend on themselves or a moment's discomfort to make someone else's life easier none of those who hadn't lived without and scraping to get by ever stuck their necks out.

Of those who had lived in such brutal fashion, none of those downtrodden ever expected anything and would often give what they had. Even Orochimaru and Jiraiya had shared their meager rations or spoils if they saw some elder or mother or sometimes it was a single father with the wife gone, who needed help. There was something about having nothing that tended to make you either hoard or share what little you had.

Jiraiya had more than once shared their clothing that they grew out of or stolen a size too big or too small with those in the red light distract. They had both babysat without pay so parents could go work jobs they'd never confess to their children. The very concept of what Hiruzen had done not being addressed was eating Orochimaru form the inside because it simply was not done!

It was only that Jiraiya said nothing, in the end, that made Orochimaru step up the next day. Against all the training he had, the knowledge that adults never did anything if there wasn't something in it for them, faded away. He'd give his sensei _one chance_ to understand what he had done wrong and make up for it. That chance was only because of how much Hiruzen had done for them so far, that indirectly his speaking of summons was why Orochimaru now had the alliance with the serpents he did.

"Aren't you going to apologize to Jiraiya?" His voice was softly pitched as they rested for a time on their way back towards Konoha. Taking a break from the run, slowly eating the ration bars and drinking water that they had while letting tired muscles take a rest.

Hiruzen looked over from where he had been consulting a map and blinked. "You have me at a disadvantage, Orochimaru. What should I be saying?"

Cold. Cold furious anger swept through Orochimaru and it took a few slow soft breathes and the mental reminder that he was giving this man a chance, a chance to prove why he was better than the fools whom Orochimaru loathed and thought of as less than. That Hiruzen was not just another brainwashed idiot who hadn't his own mind to make up.

"For public humiliation and dropping her, causing her pain," Orochimaru narrowed his eyes as his voice dropped a little. "To start."

"It wasn't anything important. So she got caught?" Tsunade sneered over and at that moment Orochimaru felt even more disgusted. They didn't know how Jiraiya had found the base and helped him loot it clean of almost everything they wanted, planting evidence. They couldn't know that. A faint touch of fingertips on the inside of his wrist made Orochimaru swallow the poisonous words he would have flung otherwise.

"Is there a reason, a good one then, why she was not lectured by being pulled aside? Why we had to have her dropped on her shoulder instead of being set down. Why was she even being held upside down and shaken in the first place?!" Orochimaru felt his temper snapping and the touch became a firm grip on his wrist. In return he twisted the hold so he was digging his fingers, carefully he didn't want to hurt her, into Jiraiya's arm to help himself keep from attacking. He knew that would be a foolish maneuver.

"The villagers won't be so worried now, it puts a friendlier more 'oh the shinobi are still like us' face upon things. Besides, Jiraiya is good at handling such incidents." Hiruzen started but then paused. He wasn't a fool, he just was not used to having to work so hard at reading children as if they were adults. The longer he looked though the more he recognized the body language of the two. So very, very, different from the other morning. They were banding together closing off from him.

Hiruzen would one day be known as The Professor, a wise man. But it started with a regular man who had to work to get there and for the first time he looked at the two damaged children and came to realize the methods that worked with Tsunade, himself, and numerous others he had known..would not work on those two. Indeed, he may have almost destroyed any progress already made and any he could in the future.

So instead, Hiruzen nodded. "I see. My apologies, Jiraiya. Orochimaru. It was unfair of me to treat you like that and you are right, if nothing else I should have not done so in public. Much as we wish the villages we work for to not be afraid of us it shouldn't have been at your expense. How is your shoulder?" Slowly he noticed the ever so slight shift of their bodies, the quick glance the black and white haired children shared before Jiraiya shrugged. Not with the side she had landed on Hiruzen noticed.

"I'll heal."

That was not the answer he wanted. Something bitter curled in his stomach and he nodded. "If it troubles you, please let Tsunade look at it. I promise I won't do that again."

Hiruzen pretended not to notice the low pitched hiss from Orochimaru. "No, you won't."

()()()()()()()()

After that the air seemed a little less stifled but the schism was still glaringly obvious. Small things like when the lack of good weapons had drawn attention to the difference between Tsunade and her teammate's but the way they had acted after Hiruzen's little act and his apology left the Senju heiress baffled. Oh, sure, sensei had been a little over the top but really they were acting like they didn't regularly get and exchange blows in practice and training! Tsunade frowned then, thinking. Actually, she didn't know anyone who really..hit or hurt anyone..outside of training that wasn't an enemy.

Licking her lips Tsunade decided that maybe this was one of those things that her teammates had tried to explain was different for them. Maybe they still didn't realize they could just ask for her help? Or maybe it was pride. Either way, she stomped over and huffed, hands on her hips as they set up camp, she was tired of the quiet traveling where it felt like her friendship with the two had all but vanished.

"Can I check your shoulder?" Tsunade asked, and while Orochimaru narrowed his eyes at her Jiraiya's met Tsunade's own and the two girls observed each other quietly. "Please? You know, you can always..ask. I don't want to be one of those nagging to always heal somebody type.."

With her own admission, Jiraiya sighed and nodded, lashes lowering. "Yeah. Guess we all have a bit too much pride, hey, Tsunade-chan?"

It was clear she was willing to move on, forgive, and the Senju heiress wasted no time letting the green hue of her medical chakra light up the area as she swept over the injured shoulder. Without asking she also sent it to soothe tired muscles and patch up a few scrapes she sensed that were healing slowly. "Just bruised but probably didn't feel very good."

"No. It didn't."

Orochimaru watched but said nothing. When Tsunade went to her bed roll later, leaving the two best friends alone, she looked up at Orochimaru and lifted a brow. Orochimaru canted his head to the side, regarding Jiraiya quietly.

"They apologized," Jiraiya stressed and Orochimaru frowned more.

"After we forced the matter." He shook his head then and looked up instead at the sky, only glimpsing the stars through the canopy of leaves. "I won't tolerate hand holding them."

"Yes, you will. Once." At Orochimaru's bright gaze locked onto her Jiraiya smiled, it was a tired one but still there. "Once, for each time they make a new mistake. Never for a repeat. I know you."

"In my mind, they have not yet made amends. Words are _petty, a pittance._ " Orochimaru hissed out but as Jiraiya just smiled at him he sighed.

"I'll think of what they can do to make it up to us. In time."

"Of course. Just remember though, Oro-kun.." Jiraiya leaned forward and winked. "You have a ssssecret!"

"Idiot," Orochimaru mumbled but he was smirking back at her as he very gently shoved her on the now healed shoulder.

()()()()()()()()()()()


	15. Cold and blackmail

Oops. Sorry everyone didn't realize the title would sound like a hiatus and scare all of you! I took a break from my nanowrimo project (Kakashi/Oc with a feel not unlike this one in humor and crazy) to work on another chapter to make up for it!

()()()()()()()()

"It's cold," Orochimaru grumbled as they went by the grocery store near their apartment. A whole section in the back had damaged and blemished items for half or more off and since they actually had a paycheck from the last mission, they were looking at their options. One of the local prostitution spots was an inn that had a good enough kitchen. Said cook in it had let them sleep on the floor there when it rained and they were kicked out of the orphanage for a night. Jiraiya had bribed a stolen necklace chain of real silver in exchange for some simple cooking lessons as Tsunade and Hiruzen clearly would just stick to ration bars which cost a good deal.

That same cook had scratched the necklace on a black slab he had pulled out and dribbled a few drops of solution on the left behind mark before nodding. After all, it wasn't unheard of for someone to pay one of the girls in pawnable items. A few bills in change and instructions on what to get for soup before he had shooed the two orphans off. They weren't sure they could actually cook at home, but there were no shortage of those who did have gas on at their apartments whom would loan use out for a fee. If nothing else, being able to hunt and scrounge if they learned those skills too for in the wild would maybe let them get by.

Not that either had figured out how they could do such things without a pot of some kind when traveling but small steps at a time. It was going to be cold soon, they could figure this out. There were even supposedly ways to cook such things in a rice cooker.

"Yeah. That's why we are tryin to learn to make soup." Jiraiya finally responded as she frowned at the wilted and spotted vegetables. How did she know if any of them even tasted any good? Back a the orphanage everything was various stages of mush and bland enough, so at least being accustomed to that they wouldn't be spending any money on the highly expensive spices. Truthfully, they had eaten the best at the Academy but those days were gone now.

"We need blankets. Maybe rugs as well, cover the walls." Orochimaru sighed, he hated being cold. Jiraiya just nodded, squeezing a carrot lightly only to grimace as it gave way under the soft pressure. The potatoes were all green and thus not safe to eat, and they just weren't sure about the other items. "Get onions, and that bit of garlic. Those at least will hide the flavor."

"Kay." Jiraiya paused then, noticing the expression Orochimaru had as they looked at the pitiful options they could afford. Buying lessons was necessary though if they wanted to not have inedible items, hot items, to get through the winter that would be coming soon. She'd have to beg, borrow, or flat out steal the rice cooker though. They really needed one. "Orochimaru?" When her best friend looked up, already weary at the idea of another cold season where they'd be huddled together and miserable, out on missions would only be worse and without the excess garments to help them keep out a chill. They'd need to steal gloves and hats already, scarves, they could cut the arms off their old jackets to make vests and at least extend them that way but it was not ideal. Jiraiya sighed and gave a sad smile.

"We'll get through it," Jiraiya promised him and Orochimaru just nodded, eyes tired. They'd been grilled mercilessly on their report about the bandits and the village and both of them were just so _tired._ The slew of D-ranks was needed and Tsunade and Hiruzen humored them in it but truthfully it was no secret that they were taking them just to help the orphans have a little pocket change. They had written for permission to take some of them on their own but it would be at least a week before the proper channels reviewed it, and then another to get an answer.

Jiraiya pursed her lips and then sighed. She needed to break into a house, there was no way around it. And it needed to be one that was decently well enough off they wouldn't miss their rice cooker, and if at all possible, some towels and blankets.

()()()()()()()()

It was the next day that both of the Orphan's were startled as Tsunade pounded on the door and stood there, awkwardly shuffling from side to side before she shoved a pile of fabric at them. "We don't use these and they were going to throw them out but I thought.."

Whatever else Tsunade was going to say was silenced as Jiraiya threw herself at the other girl and grasped her tightly in a hug, Orochimaru even blinking at them before smiling.

"Don't bring this up." He said but there was no bite to his words and Tsunade relaxed. It seemed, she really was forgiven this time. She'd wracked her mind trying to figure out if they had poor weapons, ate everything, were so wary, would they have blankets? She hadn't remembered seeing many when she'd been over and was glad it hadn't backfired.

"Not even if it means we can totally guilt trip Sensei into getting you each a good coat?" Tsunade asked and then two pairs of eyes were locked onto the Senju princess. This, however, she had been ready for. Instead the girl grinned wickedly. "Konoha does have a hot springs, and sensei has been known to visit. On the wrong side of the fence. My grand uncle was complaining about it."

Two wicked grins met Tsunade then and they nodded.

Time to blackmail their sensei, again.


End file.
